Z City Neighbors (One-Punch Man SI)
- Thread starter Streggae
- Start date
-
- Tags
- one punch man self insert
You can really feel that Gyoro is not who he seems to be. You did a great job Streggae conveying how human Gyoro was and how he doesn't have an obsession like other monsters.
- Location
- Argentina
Why him and not any of the other SI however? Also wouldn't that being know about Saitama ability to literally defeat anything with one punch?
Chapter 22
Author's Notes: Didn't go over the edits for this chapter as thoroughly as I usually do, will update later.
The S-Class Hero was quick to implement his own brand of security or rather quadruple down on it considering he redesigned the entire base after scavenging from the Alien ship. This is why even before he touched down the sensors had detected Saitama's approach and a variety of automated weapons were trained on him the moment he landed. Saitama himself wasn't really bothered by this and continued his casual stroll towards the entrance while the drones used a variety of sensors to confirm his identity.
By the time he reached halfway the doors were already opening to allow him inside. Waiting for him in the lobby was one of the staff who had a cybernetic eye.
'Hm, he looks kinda familiar.'
"Hello One-Punch Man."
"Call me Saitama" he paused getting a good look at the man "…uh…" he trailed off.
"I am-"
"Don't tell me I can figure this out" Saitama interrupted remembering Tomoro's advice about dealing with his memory issue "you're…Sekingal!" he pointed with a triumphant expression.
"Sekingar" the man clarified smoothly.
"Eh, close enough" Saitama shrugged "so what's up? Am I late for the meeting?"
Sekingar accepted his faux pas without issue and answered his question "you are the last to arrive."
"Tch" Saitama clicked his tongue at that "damn I thought I left pretty early this morning."
"Most of the S-Class heroes arrived days prior and have been waiting for when the Monster Association was found."
"So I wasn't late?" he said with a gleam in his eyes.
"…no."
"Okay cool."
"I understand that you are cohabitating with Demon Cyborg, will he be joining us?"
"Genos said he's gonna upgrade his body so he'll miss the meeting. Probably going to show up late for the fight too now that I think about it" he added.
"I see."
Sekingar knew there was a possibility Demon Cyborg would be absent due to sustaining injuries during his battle with Elder Centipede but he was hoping the cyborg would have been able to make it at the start of the raid.
'We'll just have to make do with who we have then.'
As they came upon the meeting room Sekingar posed another question "after the incident with Elder Centipede you were accompanied by another individual correct?"
"Yeah."
"They were able to heal the fallen heroes to perfect health, is this true?"
Now he had his full attention as the hero turned to face him with a not-so blank expression "what about it?"
"Would it be possible for you to set up a meeting between him and the Hero Association? Someone with his ability is greatly needed in the Hero Association especially at this time."
Saitama looked to him then averted his gaze contemplation while scratching his cheek with a finger "I mean, I can ask but he doesn't strike me as the type to want to be a hero."
"He doesn't have to be if he doesn't want to. I-the Hero Association are primarily interested in his ability as a healer."
Saitama considered this before ultimately shrugging "alright I'll talk to him about it."
"That is all I ask, thank you" he gave a respectful nod before turning away "if you'll excuse me."
"You're not joining the meeting?" he questioned since he's the one apparently overseeing the operation itself.
"Child Emperor insists on hosting the strategy meeting with only the S-Class heroes present and similarly I need to brief the other heroes taking part in the raid."
"Child Emperor?"
"He is leading the assault on the Monster Association headquarters" Sekingar clarified.
"Isn't he a bit young?"
"He is still an S-Class hero and a genius."
"Not doubting whether or not he could do it" Saitama clarified "just saying it's a lot of responsibility to put on a kid."
Sekingar gave a brief hum acknowledgment before continuing "I will be overseeing the operation itself, acting as overwatch and will be maintaining contact with the Hero Association."
"Cool."
Saitama shrugged as he entered the room gaining the attention of its occupants present: Child Emperor, Super Alloy Darkshine, Pig God, Flashy Flash, Zombie Man, Tatsumaki, Puri Puri Prisoner, Bang, Bomb, Atomic Samurai and a few members of staff on standby catering to their needs…though their services seemed to only be utilized by Pig God.
"Yo" his casual greeting elicited a few reactions from his fellow S-Class. A few polite greetings, nods or silence though one voice rose above them all.
"You're late Baldie!" Tatsumaki loudly proclaimed with a glare.
"Am I?" he said looking at the empty seats.
Before the esper could escalate things Child Emperor cut her off "actually you're right on time One-Punch Man, we were just about to begin."
With that said Child Emperor booted up a hologram which showed an image of the planet before zooming in as Child Emperor began his speech.
"To get you all up to speed last night while I was still finalizing the location of the Monster Association base I was sent an e-mail from an anonymous source claiming to be an informant for director Nova" the young hero paused "the contents of the e-mail contained detailed information about the Monster Association, it's location, the location of various entrances, a rough estimate of its total membership as well as the names and abilities of certain monsters that could pose a threat to us."
As he spoke the holograms changed, expanded and multiplied to give a visual display of his words.
"The director was working with an informant?" Puri Puri Prisoner questioned with mild surprise.
"Can we trust them?" Zombieman commented with suspicion "for all we know they could be compromised."
"I can assure you he is not Zombieman" Bang spoke with a measured "I was there when the information was discussed and the message sent."
"You were there?" Atomic Samurai raised a curious eyebrow.
"I was there too. The info is good" Tatsumaki added with arms folded and an expression daring anyone to challenge her.
Flashy Flash ended up doing just that "is there a reason why you couldn't have brought the informant here?"
"Didn't see a reason to" she answered simply and vaguely.
Before any more words can be said Darkshine interrupted "if both Silver Fang and Tatsumaki are vouching for this person then that is good enough for me."
"Same" added Pig God in between slurps of his mega sized cola.
Child Emperor chose that moment to re-interject into the conversation "as for the information I was able to confirm the validity of a few of them"
Once again the image changed to show an over the top down view of City Z Ghost town with a few red dots.
"Using special thermography on my satellites as well utilizing surveillance drones to sweep the area I was able to confirm that the information was spot on about the number of monsters within as well as the location of several entrances. Unfortunately my drones were summarily destroyed before they could do a proper infiltration so we'll be going in blind."
None of them seemed particularly bothered by this however Atomic Samurai asked a pertinent question "what are the numbers looking like?"
"At least 500 monsters give or take. We would each have to kill around 50 but I'm not particularly worried about those numbers since a majority of the monsters present will most likely be fodder for us. What I am worried about however are the capabilities of their higher ranking members."
At that the images changed to two familiar individuals.
"Metal Knight attempted to follow Elder Centipede to their hideout however he was defeated in the process."
Tatsumaki scoffed "the old man probably has a dozen more of the same robot and whatever else he has lying around that lab of his. He could very well send something else to help with the mission if he wanted to."
"I'm sure Metal Knight has his reasons for not participating Tatsumaki" Bang attempted to placate.
"Yeah, he's a coward" she sneered.
Despite his own reservation with his old mentor's choices Child Emperor went on to defend him "Metal Knight informed me that he wanted to stay back in case of the worst case scenario and we end up failing. He assures me that he will be on standby with relief aid in the event of our success or to act as a contingency in case we fail."
When put like that the militant and tactical minded heroes seemed more forgiving of the hero's absence. Though most of them couldn't fathom a world where they would actually lose so badly that they would need the kind of backup Metal Knight would provide. Especially considering they used 'backup' lightly as knowing the man he would likely just drop a nuke on top of the Monster Association which in all honesty was a rather acceptable action to do if they end up failing.
Moving on Zombieman commented on the other image shown "I heard Drive Knight got taken out, is it true?" questioned.
"As far as we know" Child Emperor began explaining "he went on to investigate by himself before we lost the signal on his tracker. We haven't been able to get in contact with him since."
"Damn, to think Drive Knight would get taken out like that" Atomic Samurai mused with furrowed brows.
"Well he has a cyborg body so he should be fine, right?" Darkshine spoke in an attempt at reassurance though it was clear to many that he was trying to convince himself just as much as the others.
Child Emperor was about to move on when-
"Hey."
Child Emperor almost jumped out of his skin upon hearing the voice behind him. Turning to face the ominous voice did not lower his nerves as the person interrupting their meeting was none other than-
"Amai Mask!?" Child Emperor exclaimed "what are you doing here?"
The idol hero ignored the question as his eyes roamed over the gathered heroes "I was wondering why no one was in the waiting room" his gaze went back to Child Emperor, pinning the young hero with a glare "what is the meaning of this Child Emperor? How dare you start this meeting without me after I explicitly told you I would be joining the task force?"
"Wait-wait time out!" the young hero said as bit down a little on his lollipop out of anxiety "what are you talking about?"
The top ranked A-Class hero narrowed his eyes before folding his arms "I sent a message through Sekingar that I would be accompanying you lot on this mission. He assured me that you will be given the message."
Now it was child Emperor's turn to furrow his brows "I ever got a message like that."
"Ah" suddenly they were interrupted by Tatsumaki who had a thoughtful expression as she tapped a fist into her open palm "now I remember, after you went to sleep Sekingar tried to bother you about a message like that" she shrugged "I didn't want him disturbing your sleep so I sent him away."
Child Emperor's jaw dropped "Tatsumaki…why didn't you tell me?"
The esper rolled her eyes "this mission is too important to waste time babysitting that guy."
At her words Amai Mask gained a look in his eyes whilst still maintaining his calm façade. It was the kind of expression that would send men and monster alike cowering for fear of their lives. In the face of those gathered none of them were at all fazed by this not even Child Emperor whose mild nervousness came not from the expression itself but the thought of the hero using his clout with the executives to cause trouble in general and provoke the other heroes. Well he seemed to be doing that already with how some of the heroes were glaring at him.
"Is that what you think Child Emperor?" Amai Mask questioned with deceptive calmness.
'No choice but to rip the band aid off now.'
The hero went on to explain how he wanted to split the task force into two teams. The ground team will infiltrate the Monster Association base and rescue the hostage while eliminating every monster they come across while the surface team will close off all but one exit and pick off any stragglers that attempt to escape.
At that point Amai Mask interrupted "and let me guess, you want me to be a part of the surface team correct?"
"Well…"
"Stop beating around the bush Isamu" Tatsumaki admonished not noticing the wince the boy gave at her using his real name or the raised eyebrow from some of the other heroes at her familiar address. The esper directed a glare at Amai Mask "this meeting is for S-Class only" she paused glancing at the Bomb before adding "or those invited by an S-Class and nobody invited you. In fact nobody wants you here in the first place."
"Tatsumaki!" Child Emperor exclaimed.
"Now, now" Bang placated only to be interrupted by Amai Mask.
"S-Class only" Amai Mask chuckled reaching a hand up to grip his face "what a joke" the veins in his neck visibly bulged and as he spoke and the tension rose as the room was flooded with killing intent.
It was enough that it garnered several reaction from most of the gathered heroes.
Puri Puri Prisoner and Darkshine almost recoiled at the sudden bloodlust wafting off the previously innocuous man.
Bang and Bomb gave pronounced frowns at the display with the former keeping his peace for now. Pig God actually paused mid bite…then continued to eat at a slower pace (for him).
Zombieman's eyes narrowed and his trigger finger twitched in response as he scrutinized the hero.
Atomic Samurai and Flashy Flash gripped their sheathed weapons tighter ever so slightly with the latter's own killing intent rising
Saitama watched the drama unfold completely unaffected by the happenings and taking a sip of his newly delivered tea.
Child Emperor swallowed the pieces of his lollipop he ended up chomping through when Amai Mask started.
Tatsumaki merely raised an eyebrow at the display not at all phased by it or by his glare.
"I've explained this before but let me clarify this again" began the idol hero "the only reason why I am still in the A-Class is by my own choice. I act as the final examiner a gatekeeper if you will and judge to anyone aspiring to become part of the S-Class. I have many talents and the Hero Association has seen fit to have me utilize some of these talents outside of general heroics to support the organization. Because of this you all look down on me as unqualified but I assure you I am not lacking in skill and I more qualified to be here than some of you."
He cast his gaze over the assembled heroes again to see that he now had their interest and weariness in some cases. Regardless they now no longer looked at him as someone unqualified to be there. He wouldn't usually care what they would think of him but he didn't have the time to argue semantics and he figured the sooner they accept him without underestimating his ability then the sooner they can get back to important matters.
"You've made your point Amai Mask" Bang interrupted with a frown.
"He's right, you can drop the killing intent" Atomic Samurai followed up.
He did not do so immediately as he looked to Child Emperor with the unasked question "well?"
The young hero sighed "does anyone have an issue with Amai Mask joining this meeting?"
As he said this he gave a particularly pointed glare towards Tatsumaki who seemed as if she would object. He usually wouldn't however with her being the source of this unnecessary drama and his anxiety he felt more than a little tired at her antics.
His vindication rose when upon seeing his expression she paused as something flashed in her expression and she turned away with a huff "whatever."
And with that thought the tension dropped as the killing intent cut off and Amai Mask took a seat in one of the empty chairs.
Interlaced his fingers Amai Mask pressed them just below his nose and asked a simple question "now I want to know what we are doing to rescue Miss Nova and crush the Monster Association."
After an abridged recap of what they went over before his arrival (and being shocked he didn't question Solaria working with an informant) Child Emperor continued where they were left off.
"I may not have been able to use my drones to scout the interior of the Monster Association but I was able to map out the layout all the same" the hologram changed to a veritable multi storey skyscraper "keep in mind that all of this is underground."
"All this is underground!?" Darkshine said incredulously.
His reaction made sense as what seemed to be a skyscraper at first glance was actually an interconnected series of tunnels and floors that extended for miles.
"I see so the difficulty won't necessarily be fighting the monsters but navigating this labyrinth" Bang mused as he fiddled with his mustache in thought.
"They'll likely use guerrilla tactics to take advantage of the terrain" Zombieman commented as he scrutinized the hologram "I see a lot of positions perfect for ambushes."
"Do you know where they are keeping Solaria?" Amai Mask questioned as he glared at the hologram.
"No" Child Emperor frowned "we'll have to interrogate the monsters for that information."
"Should be simple enough" Flashy Flash commented idly.
"That would be the case for most of them however there are several monsters that even we need to be careful of" Child Emperor scowled before the hologram changed to show a familiar monster "Elder Centipede who rampaged through City R and City S destroying the latter in the process before it was killed by One-Punch Man was not only a member of the Monster Association but a high ranking member as well" The image then changed to that of a video of an unfamiliar monster taken from a CCTV camera.
"Who's that?" Pig God commented with a raised eyebrow taking another bite of his burger.
"This is the monster that attacked the Super Fight tournament in City C."
"Weren't you supposed to be a guest judge Bang." Atomic Samurai turned to his fellow martial artist.
Bang now having the room's attention spoke keeping his eyes on the monster "I wasn't able to attend but I did speak with two of its participants, they fought this monster."
"This monster is confirmed to be a Dragon level threat" Child Emperor noted.
Now Atomic Samurai seemed more interested "they must be quite the martial artists."
Bang couldn't help but smile a little "one of them is Suicho's grandson."
Atomic Samurai's eyes widened "oh-ho now that's a surprise. So the legacy of the Void Fist is still going strong then. He must be quite the master to defeat a Dragon level threat."
"He had help and that monster" he gestured to the hologram "is actually Gouketsu."
"Gouketsu!" Atomic Samurai exclaimed with some shock looking back at the hologram.
"You know him Silver Fang?" Child Emperor questioned curiously.
"He was a notorious martial arts grandmaster" Bang explained "but I heard he died after challenging a powerful monster."
"Clearly not" Atomic Samurai frowned "I never knew the man himself but he had quite the reputation" he shook his head "even if he wasn't a saint to think a grandmaster of his standing could fall like it."
This time Bomb spoke up "according to the Void Fist heir when Gouketsu was defeated by the powerful monster instead of killing him they took him to their lair where he was transformed into a monster. At the Super Fight tournament he attempted to 'recruit' the tournament fighters for the Monster Association by having them eat something called a 'monster cell'."
"That sounds a lot like what Haragiri tried to do with the Council of Swordmasters."
"Haragiri?" Bang was familiar with the name though he didn't hear anything particularly good about the man himself "what did you do with him?"
"Slashed him to pieces" Atomic Samurai replied promptly "he was too far gone at that point."
Darkshine gained an uncomfortable expression "it's troubling that the Monster Association can turn people into monsters so easily."
"Is there no way to save someone from it?" Puri Puri Prisoner question with some hope.
Child Emperor shook his head sadly "as of now we barely have any information on the process itself let alone a proper solution."
"Oh" the incarcerated hero's shoulder sagged.
"Is something the matter?"
"A few my boys got tricked into becoming monsters and joining the Monster Association, I wanted to save them if possible."
Bang chose to spoke up "it was mentioned that the monsterfication process can't be forced on someone. They have to choose to do it."
The news seemed to devastate Puri Puri Prisoner "no way…then that means."
"They'll be put down like the rest of the monsters" Amai Mask said bluntly with a gleam in his eyes daring the S-Class hero to refute his words.
Puri Puri Prisoner seemed as if he would however he looked down and nodded before clenching his fist closed his eyes "I see…if that's case then leave any monsters in prisoner uniforms to me then."
Zombieman lit a cigarette "speaking of 'monster cell' I have some information that might shed some light on how they were able to create such a thing."
The S-Class hero then went to give a brief summary of his time investigating and tracking down the remnants of the House of Evolution. How he found the leader Dr. Genus and how the mad scientist explained how he was approached by an esper with an offer to work together. Combing his talents in bioengineering and her studies in monster anthropology they created the monster cells. In the end they separated due to 'creative differences' and each created their own organizations.
At the end of his speech Amai Mask gave the immortal hero a pointed look "if you caught the leader of the notorious House of Evolution why didn't you take him in?"
Zombieman blew out a puff of smoke returning the idol hero's gaze unflinchingly "he had a mutant bodyguard that blindsided me and they managed to escape."
Before Amai Mask could further comment Tatsumaki interrupted "who's the psychic?".
"He said her name was Psykos."
Immediately Tatsumaki's gaze became sharper "you sure that's what he said her name was?"
"Yeah" he raised an eyebrow "you know her?"
"I knew Psykos as an acquaintance of my sister in highschool" she scowled in thought "she went insane and got sent to an asylum for treatment. Last I heard she broke out and I haven't heard anything about her since."
Upon hearing that Child Emperor brought up a point "there is a psychic monster who goes by the name of Gyoro Gyoro acting as the Monster Association's tactician. It was the one that spoke to the executives when that parasite monster infiltrated the building."
The hologram changed to replay the video of said the confrontation.
By the end of it Tatsumaki had a dark expression on her face as she rested her knuckles on her cheek 'so she ended up turning herself into a monster.'
"I can only speculate that whatever research that may have been conducted to produce these 'monster cells' will be in there somewhere so we should make it a second priority to find the lab and destroy it."
After getting affirmation from most of the gathered Child Emperor moved on.
"As for what kind of resistance we'll be expecting there are several monsters that might pose a problem for some of us."
As he said this multiple display windows popped up featuring images of monsters and pertinent information about them including their: history, disaster threat level, abilities and so on.
"These are all the monsters with a disaster level of Demon."
This drew some interest from most of the gathered S-Class heroes due to each monster either having a notorious reputation, noteworthy combat potential or a special ability. Ultimately however they were all deemed more than manageable but the same could not be said for the next set of holographic images.
"These are the monsters that I'm really wary of" as he finished a new set of images materialized "from my understanding most of these monsters are Dragon level or have the potential to rapidly evolve into one and they were gathered specifically to counter us S-Class heroes."
All of the gathered studied the images and noted that the aforementioned Elder Centipede and Gouketsu were marked out. Child Emperor went on to give brief overviews of the Cadres including their history, special abilities and ways to counteract them. This time around the S-Class paid very close attention with most of them being very considerate of the monster they very well may face in the upcoming raid.
Sekingar left One-Punch Man and immediately began to ruminate on their conversation as he walked to the executive elevator.
"Worried?" a familiar voice questioned.
"Hm?" Sekingar looked to find that he was joined by Sitch at some point.
"You looked like you were lost in thought" the older man spoke "is it about the operation?"
"I was just thinking about the conversation I just had with One-Punch Man."
"You know he prefers to be called Saitama."
"So I was told" Sekingar said as both men entered the elevator.
Sitch could only chuckle with a shake of his head "did he say something interesting?"
"I broached the topic of him introducing us to his healer friend."
That caught Sitch's attention "Tomoro Sazaki, what did he say about him?"
"He said that the man would not be interested in becoming a hero however he will relay the request."
"That's all we can hope for at the moment."
Sekingar nodded as he began thinking about the side mission that had been put on the backburner in face of the current crisis. It first started with Lightning Max and Snek's report on what happened in City C and the Super Fight tournament. Due to so many things happening at once it might have fell to the wayside however several instances of the report given to them by Lightning Max and Snek got the attention of Sitch who brought Sekingar in to conduct an investigation.
At the time City C came under attack Demon Cyborg was the only S-Class hero in the city and he did a commendable job of eliminating the invading monsters. Then the City C branch of the Hero Association abruptly lost contact with him only to get a message warning them of a possible Dragon level threat appearing. Since the few monsters left after Demon Cyborg's actions were being handled by the local B and C-Class heroes protecting the evacuation center they figured it to be either a mistake on Demon Cyborg's part or that the monster went elsewhere.
They were right in that as it turned out its target was the Super Fight tournament or rather their contestants. At this point they did not know the enemy could turn humans into monsters and it appears the Dragon level monster planned to recruit the Super Fight contestants for the Monster Association just as they did with the prisoners at the Smelly Lid Prison. Sekingar was disturbed to find that several of the fighters also underwent the transformation willingly.
In any case the monsters ended up being thwarted by Lightning Max and Snek who participated in the tournament as well as two of the Super Fight contestants. Well according to the report the two heroes played less of an active role in the battle mostly aiding one of the two other contestants instead. Said contestant happened to be Suiryu the current champion of the tournament. According to the database the Hero Association did attempt to recruit him into however he rejected them and quite flippantly at that.
The other fighter however was someone completely new and if the reports are to be believed he was someone who could be even stronger than Suiryu who was already thought to be S-Class material. It turns out this individual was the one responsible for defeating the two Dragon level monsters both of whom turned out to have been powerful martial arts masters and former Super Fighter champions. That would have motivated Sekingar immensely to find the man as he was a rare S-Class prospect however it was the other ability he may have demonstrated.
He could heal people.
Sekingar wasn't sure at first but even then he found it suspicious that every surviving Super Fight contestant seemed perfectly fine which should have been impossible based not just on the reports but also on the fact that they were literally in a fighting tournament. In any case they found out the man's name was Tomoro Sazaki and running his identity through the database came up with a Tomoro Sazaki working as an accountant for a small firm. What was more interesting however was the fact that his address was listed as being in the abandoned section of City Z specifically in the same apartment complex as One-Punch Man himself.
Unfortunately before Sekingar could act on this information and send out agents to recruit him Solaria was kidnapped and the Monster Association gave their ultimatum. All hands needed to be on deck and Sekingar put Tomoro Sazaki on the backburner for the time being. It was only while he was perusing the reports on Elder Centipede that he came across the reports that the man was put back in his mind.
Not only did he appear with One-Punch Man during the Elder Centipede incident he also demonstrated his healing ability once again by healing the heroes on the scene. According to some of the heroes not only did he seem to know One-Punch Man and Demon Cyborg but even Silver Fang and his brother Bomb as well. It was the reason why he first approached the two martial artists for information on him but to no avail. The two were very reticent when it came to giving up any kind of information about him and Silver Fang all but brushed him off.
At least he was polite about it.
With One-Punch Man Sekingar went for a more subtle approach and suggested a meeting with the man instead. He also made sure to assure the hero that they were only interested in his healing ability which was true. Regardless of whether or not they could get him as a healer or a full time hero was irrelevant so long as they establish good relations with him. Hopefully his apparent association with One-Punch Man will set a precedent that will endear him to the idea of working with them in the same vain as Silver Fang's brother.
The Hero Association did attempt to recruit Bomb of the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist however they were rejected. Despite this his relation alone to Silver Fang ensured that they had an ally of at least similar power to the S-Class hero and the result was him aiding them without any kind of additional incentive from the Hero Association, monetary or otherwise.
The familiar sound of spinning and motors reached his ears as Sekingar looked to the various monitor located in the elevator.
"They've arrived" Sitch commented.
Sekingar nodded "thanks to Mr. Sazaki I was able to secure more A-Class heroes for this operation."
"Even so we're still at a disadvantage" Sitch commented severely.
'A shame I didn't think to get in contact with him sooner.'
If he could go back in time he would have made it a higher priority to find him but the Hero Association was already stretched thin as is. First the mass layoff and corporate restructure by solaria then the Hero Hunter followed by the Monster Association. Recruiting someone who could bring their numbers back up was a missed opportunity but not too damning so long as the operation goes relatively smoothly.
"It will have to do" Sekingar spoke before he was interrupted by a call from his phone "yes, what is it?"
Sitch couldn't hear what the person said on the other line however he observed the younger man's expression turned to one of shock and incredulity.
"What? Are you certain?" Sitch observed as Ssekingar spoke to the person on the other line for a minute before he spoke "send a transport for them immediately."
After Sekingar hung up Sitch posed the question "what was that about?"
Sekingar smiled "if what I heard was correct a miracle has just taken place."
"What do you mean?"
Sekingar simply smiled as the elevator doors opened as finally they arrived at the indoor heliport where the heroes were waiting for them.
Tomoro was easily able to deliver the truck to the storage unit however on his way he came upon a particular place he's never really thought much of before. So after finishing his task he now floated above the Hero Association hospital where he sensed Tank Top Master and Metal Bat to be recovering from their injuries. It wasn't hard to parse them apart from the myriad of presences within the building considering both of them have the strongest ki signatures.
They also had the weirdest signatures too.
"What in the…"
The stronger of the two he's sure was Metal Bat since Tank Top Master wouldn't have a child visiting him. For some reason Metal Bat's ki signature was as refined as a martial arts Master which shouldn't be possible since Tomoro was certain that the man himself isn't a martial artist by any stretch.
"Is this because of his so-called fighting spirit?" he mused to himself.
The OPM manga never gave a definitive answer to what Metal Bat's 'fighting spirit' was but even back then Tomoro (and most who read shounen) theorized it be some form of internal usually found in the genre (think chi, ki, spirit energy, chakra etc) different names but same broad stroke application. Regardless it still brought up a rather shocking revelation about the delinquent hero.
"Unbelievable somehow this brat was able to access and utilize his ki without undergoing years of martial arts training or meditation" he paused shaking his head "no, that's the wrong way to think of it."
It's not like he needs to train in martial arts. Tomoro can make the assumption that before he became a hero Metal Bat was a delinquent and most likely got into a lot of fights which could have been its own form of training. As for meditation if you want to get down to the brass tacks then it is merely clearing one's conscious thought to focus on something specific. There is actually a shocking amount of way one can recreate this phenomenon without assuming the lotus position.
"In any case to get his ki to such a level he'd have to have been using it frequently for years" he paused before scoffing "he's not even been using it right."
Ki is present in all living things. Some have more than others but those who actively tap into it the most are usually martial artists and monsters in some cases. A point of contention in modern martial arts was 'mastery' and what exactly constitutes becoming a true Master. The answer to that question is and will always be ki control and refinement. Of course skill in martial arts is also a major factor but once a martial artist reaches a certain level of ki refinement and control then they will be acknowledged as a Master by the wider community.
It's the reason why despite his former arrogance, indulgence in certain vices, indolence and general lackadaisical attitude Tomoro acknowledged Suiryu as a Master. Metal Bat is definitely aware of ki and he's managed to tap into it enough that in terms of volume and refinement he is a Master. At least at a glance but in truth though compared to an actual master Metal Bat's ki refinement is actually quite crude.
'And that's the difference between being aware of one's ki and having proper control of it.'
That's the most painful part of the realization that while this rowdy delinquent managed to discover something so incredible but ended up using it to help him swing around a freaking bat. Tomoro could only imagine how far Metal Bat would be right now if he actually took up a proper martial art.
"Garou really was lucky he ended up being some meathead who could only swing around a bat."
Shaking his head Tomoro moved on from that mildly depression situation with Metal Bat to focus on the other S-Class hero. If he was being honest out of all the S-Class Tank Top Master was portrayed as the blandest and most forgettable. Just a really strong guy whose gimmick is wearing a tank top he proclaims to be the source of his power. He expected this to be reflected in his ki signature. That is, being abnormally large by regular human standard but otherwise nothing special.
That was not the case.
"What the hell?"
There was something different about Tank Top Master's ki signature in that it wasn't just a single signature but two. Just as he expected Tank Top Master's actual ki signature is abnormally large for a human but otherwise generic. Then there was the other smaller yet noticeable signature that was most certainly not human. Said signature wasn't so much intertwined with Tank Top Master's ki as it was wrapped around it like armor.
"That's not right…"
That comparison was quite accurate as the more he observed it the more he could actually envision what it looked like and rather than armor it seemed more like a…like a…
"Tank…top…?"
Huuh?
Tomoro shook his head yet his senses were still focused and he could not separate the image from that mystery ki signature. Then he wiped the metaphorical glasses to see that what his mind's eye pictured was actually accurate. The mystery energy signature was actually coming from the freaking tank top.
"Bwaah" Tomoro is pretty sure his expression in that moment was akin that old Jackie Chan meme he vaguely remembered.
From what he could sense the tank top's energy signature seems to be boosting TTM's own ki which in turn is actually speeding up his recovery process.
"…oh my God" he groaned.
Tomoro knew exactly what was going on.
Fun Fact: the author of One Punch Man actually made a second series called Mob Psycho 100. That particular series focuses more on the supernatural and paranormal aspects. It's all about psychics and spirits among other things.
The point of mentioning that series was to point out that on occasion supernatural and paranormal phenomena will appear on Tomoro's radar. Sometimes he will pick up energy signatures not belonging to humans or monsters and he's actually come across legitimate spirits before. He's also come across objects imbued with this same energy, in one particular encounter with shrine priest he explained that these objects are actually cursed.
Now does that mean Tank Top Master is rocking a cursed tank top? Tomoro couldn't say if only because the tank top doesn't actually seem to be hurting him. It is at least partially sentient however which is mildly disturbing because he could not dismiss mind control or influence. It would certainly explain why the guy is so passionate about tank tops of all things and chose to make said article of clothing the focus of his personality.
His eyes narrowed "does he even know?"
If not about the nature of the tank top then he must at least be aware that he's not wearing a regular tank top.
"Wait a minute…" his eyes squinted as he searched for a moment "I think I see what's going on here."
Tank Top Master wasn't the only one as Tomoro could sense that the tank tops of Tank Topper Army also had their own energy signatures. Of course theirs did not come close to Tank Top Master and some were more pronounced than others but it spoke of definite pattern.
'I really hope this doesn't turn out to be some tank top cult ala Dimple.'
Moving on from those thoughts and the ridiculousness of it Tomoro knew that in the OPM webcomic both heroes would miss the battle with the Monster Association entirely. He wasn't so sure the same could be said for the manga though since its basically its own continuity at this point. The last chapter of the One Punch Man manga he read before he got reincarnated had Tatsumaki pulling the Monster Association out of the ground in its entirety and was gearing up to fight the Psykos Orochi fusion. He's not even sure if things will end up getting to that point as both he and Solaria have done so much to actively divert the timeline.
Just thinking about that had him grimacing.
In any case he came here for the express purpose of healing Metal Bat and Tank Top Master so they could join the assault thereby stacking the deck even more in favor of the Hero Association. If nothing about the raid changed then he might have said it wasn't needed but with Solaria's capture and 'Dr. Psycho' showing up he just wasn't sure anymore. Even more wild is the fact that had he not met Do-S and decide to take her in on a whim he wouldn't have known about that not-so-little change in the 'script.'
But why stop there?
It wasn't just Metal Bat and Tank Top Master in that hospital but the Blizzard Group as well as the Tank Topper Army were in there. He didn't really think they would or even could contribute to the battle against the Monster Association but he figured having them out there ready to protect the cities and maintain public order especially after the immediate fallout would be time better spent than being laid up in a hospital.
With that in mind Tomoro's body erupted in a purple flame-like aura.
In the case of Fubuki being incapacitated or otherwise unable to lead then the responsibility of leadership will naturally fall to the Blizzard executives.
Why was this important?
Because this morning Fubuki failed to show for breakfast and considering she keeps to a methodical morning routine they found her absence to be suspicious. After a preliminary search of her penthouse revealed her to be absent yet her cellphone Fubuki was declared missing. Naturally the executives were called on to investigate and Lily ended up being the one to provide the means of shedding light on what happened to their leader via her access to the hidden cameras in Fubuki's room.
None of the others even knew Fubuki kept cameras in her room but it made sense that the only other person to know or even have access to them would be Lily. Not only did the Blizzard Group's youngest member work as Fubuki's personal assistant she was also fanatically loyal to the woman. So loyal that she did not actually show most of the footage to the others so as to maintain her mentor's privacy. What she did ended up showing them after some editing on her part was shocking to say the least.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa you're telling me the boss got kidnapped by her own sister!?" exclaimed Needle Star.
The shock was reflected on the expressions of the others along with concern. There was not a person in that room who wasn't aware of the friction between the two sisters.
"There has to be an explanation for this" Eyelashes spoke.
Luckily for the group after editing the video to preserve Fubuki's dignity and reputation Lily was able to show them a clip that gave an abbreviated version of events. It appears the point of contention was that the Hero Association is planning a raid on the Monster Association and was gathering a strike team of skilled lower class heroes to aid the S-Class. According to Lily Tatsumaki used her influence to take Fubuki off that strike force, Fubuki found out about it and was planning to join a third party in raiding the Monster Association.
Who this third party is none had any idea however they did float the theory of the third party being a group of disenfranchised heroes willing to go behind the Hero Association's back to score points and go up in the ranks. It sounded dangerous, reckless, foolishly desperate and unfortunately something that their illustrious leader may actually consider if she thought it worth the cost.
Fubuki is highly respected as an intelligent and charismatic woman and a capable leader. That doesn't mean that they are ignorant of her quirks which come back to the chip on her shoulder against her sister. It is an open secret among them that Fubuki is obsessed with coming out from under her sister's shadow and that she believes the only way to get out from under Tatsumaki's shadow and prove herself is to become an S-Class. To this end she has made some questionable decisions and took risks that were unnecessary so long as it ended up promoting her in rank.
Questionable and risky as those decisions were it ultimately worked in the long run and now she is the second ranked A-Class hero. The problem she's been at this position for longer than she has any other rank before and to make matters worse it wasn't even as if she was competing with the first rank A-Class hero. Instead she constantly has to defend her place against with Iaian who has declared Fubuki to be his rival and is a constant thorn in her side.
Then there is the veritable mountain that is Amai Mask who is the only reason why she has been stuck in this veritable rank limbo. She has tried many things to attempt to get past him only to turn up short. Amai Mask was just too popular and important to the Hero Association on so many levels for her to topple him from a position he is deliberately staking claim to. It is also unfair that the Hero Association executives would look to his recommendation before they even promote someone's class. So she needed to impress Amai Mask who has notoriously high standard.
With all that in mind assisting in a raid against the greatest enemies of the Hero Association (and mankind itself) to rescue the co-creator and most important executive of the Hero Association as well as the most powerful woman in the world was definitely something that could get her into the S-Class. The fact that her sister was using her influence to basically sabotage Fubuki's chance to go up in the rankings could be seen as her trying to keep Fubuki in her shadow.
Given everything they know about her the realization might just be the tipping point that would make Fubuki do something drastic.
After coming to this conclusion Mountain Ape asked the most pertinent question "what do we do?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Lily scowled "we find out where Miss Fubuki is and free her!"
"Is that really wise?" everyone turned to Glasses who continued "maybe there is merit in what her sister did and we should let it be."
Everyone Lily mostly looked scandalous at such an insinuation "what are you talking about Glasses!?"
"Hear me out" he held a hand up "it is an established fact at this point that the Monster Association has more powerful monsters than we fought and lost against. I am of course talking about Dragon level monsters such as Elder Centipede."
They all collectively gained troubled expressions at his words feeling the sting at the reminder of their defeat at the hands of the Demon level monster as well as reminding them of the report on the full scope of the invasion. Aside from the one they fought there were reports of multiple Demon level monsters one of which massacred dozens of people and heroes in City V. Yet that news paled in comparison to the Hero Association confirming the appearances of two Dragon level monsters in City C but fortunately the monsters were defeated by the Super Fight contestants.
Given that the Monster Association was challenging the Hero Association it stands to reason they would have something up their sleeves to challenge the S-Class. Whatever the case may be it won't change the fact that wherever they end up battling will be the most dangerous place in the world.
"As much as I respect Miss Fubuki what she planned on doing wasn't just reckless but lso foolish."
It's one thing to have gone with the support of the Hero Association and S-Class heroes but to go with a bunch of unknown heroes who most likely would not be any better than her…
"Is her sister wrong for not wanting her be put in danger?"
The video of Tatsumaki trying to dissuade Fubuki from going through with it certainly sounded as much.
"That's…" Lily trailed off with uncertainty.
Certainly the young girl was loyal to Fubuki to a fault but at the same time she didn't want to put her in danger.
"That's not our call" Mountain Ape rumbled with his arms crossed "not that Miss Fubuki would be so reckless in the first place."
Eyelashes picked up with a resolute expression "don't misunderstand things Glasses Miss Fubuki wouldn't do something like this without careful consideration. It's not as though this is the first time she had to consider the pros of cons of embarking on something truly dangerous against the rewards reaped if she succeeded."
With his fellow Blizzard executive's peace said Needle Star chuckled "yeah, I say we rescue the boss from wherever the midget has her hold up and get in on the action."
And from his expression he meant it too.
"I don't know about that" Eyelashes shook his head "but I agree we should rescue Miss Fubuki."
"She wouldn't want us to go against her sister" Glasses pointed out.
They all remembered she said as much to them.
"Man what is with you being a coward today?" Needle Star griped with a scowl "did the midget scare you that much?"
Glasses wouldn't deny that his experience of being laid out by Tatsumaki with contemptuous ease didn't make him wary of the esper but in truth that was not the case.
"I just want to make sure that we're all in agreement since we will technically be going against the Hero Association just as much as the Tornado of Terror."
They all looked amongst each other before Needle Star spoke "who gives a shit?"
Glasses however ignored him to meet eyes with Eyelashes who nodded before giving the command.
"Make the call."
And glasses took out his phone ready to make the call to their agent on the inside of the Hero Association headquarters but before he could a purple laser flew through the window and slammed into his chest.
"Glasses!" Lily exclaimed as he was knocked back into the bed with such force that he dropped the phone
That was not the end of it as more lasers came through the window heading directly for each of them. Unfortunately in their injured state the Blizzard executives could hardly muster up any kind of defense before they were each hit.
"What the heck are they trying to feed you here!?"
And that silver lining was his younger sister visiting him in the hospital and doting on him.
"Hey, what are you smiling about?" said sister questioned suspiciously.
"N-nothing" he waved off.
She stared at him for a few seconds before sighing and looking at the…food the nurse had delivered for his consumption with mild disgust.
"Seriously this is the stuff they feed the heroes who protect them from monsters?"
She said this while using a spoon to scoop up what was supposed to oatmeal though given how watery the thing is it might as well be soup.
Metal Bat cringed at the thing "Nurses told me some of the staff quit after the invasion. Guessing the guys working the kitchen left too."
"Why?"
He shrugged "probably didn't see the point working a job if they think the world is gonna end" which is ironic to him considering he knew about the Prophecy.
"That's stupid" Zenko scoffed "the Hero Association is going to beat them anyway…right?"
"Of course" he answered easily enough "even if I'm not there the other S-Class are nothing to scoff at."
He meant it too. For all that he found some of them to be annoying (Tatsumaki) Bad did genuinely respect all of the S-Class and isn't at all worried about them not succeeding, if not with saving the hostage then definitely destroying the Monster Association itself.
'Tch, I should be with them out there.'
While Metal Bat internally brooded Zenko picked up the watery oatmeal and put it away "you're not eating this."
She'd dump in the trash if she weren't so polite. He'd do it for her but with his injuries he didn't want her to worry even more than she already did.
"…!"
Metal Bat felt it before he saw it, a feeling washing over him like a palpable force before that made him react.
"Zenko!"
"H-huh!?" the girl only had time to jump at her brother's sudden yell before a purple laser flew through the open window.
Metal Bat acted immediately grabbing his trusty weapon he had laying next to him. He then tore his other handout of the sling and hopped over the bed in a tenth of second and swung his bat at the laser as if he were hitting a home run. Before the bat could hit however the laser forked over it at the last possible second resulting in a miss and due to his encumbering injuries he couldn't readjust in time before the laser slammed into his side sending him sprawling over the other side of the bed.
"Brother!"
In hindsight TTM felt embarrassed that he never considered he would fight someone akin to Silver Fang, i.e. a martial artist of significant strength. He'd only ever relied on pure tank top power to overwhelm his enemies because it worked…until it didn't. Garou showed him just how much he lacked by completely decimating him in their fight using his martial arts to bypass his power. He didn't have to imagine how that battle must have looked because he's actually seen Silver Fang dismantle big burly monsters before.
'And to think this happened in front of my students, how embarrassing.'
The worst thing that came from this was that Tank Top Master couldn't prevent Garou from turning on the members of the Tank Topper Army that came to cheer him on. It made him angry at Garou yes but he was mostly angry at himself for his hubris and lack of foresight. He shouldn't have brought them along in the first place but that's the thing about hindsight. In any case he's been hearing a lot of talk about his group and some of the things they've been up for a while now so hopefully this was just as much a learning experience for them as it was for him.
'I'd like to have a rematch with Garou but that's something that may not happen at this rate.'
Tank Top Master didn't expect to meet One-Punch Man. The strongest man in the world man is almost as much of an enigma as Blast and that's only because he bothers to show up to meetings. So imagine his surprise when his fellow S-Class came to visit a C-Class hero out of nowhere. Mumen Rider would go on to explain that he's been friends with Saitama ever since they met each other around when the Hero Association first formed. Back then they were both in C-Class and did patrols together. While he understood that everyone has to start somewhere Tank Top Master just cannot fathom One-Punch Man being in C-Class.
In any case bald hero had taken an interest in Garou which was unusual because for as long as he knew the man Tank Top Master has never seen One-Punch Man interested in anything really.
'I hope you've enjoyed you're reign of terror Garou because you've caught the attention of the strongest man in the world.'
For as much as he will acknowledge Garou to be a superior fighter to him and great martial artist there is no way he will be able to put up a fight against One-Punch Man let alone defeat him.
"…!"
Tank Top Master's thoughts suddenly screeched to a halt as he felt his tank top tighten around his chest. A sense of foreboding came over him just before he heard a commotion something his fellow hero also noticed.
"What is that?" Mumen Rider exclaimed "another monster attack?"
Tank Top Master thought the same before two purple lasers flew through the window immediately hitting Mumen Rider. Tank Top Master did not even have the time to react to this before he crossed his arms to block another laser. To his shock however rather than impacting him it instead went inside his body.
"Oof!?"
The wind was knocked out of him though only briefly as he suddenly felt a rush of energy flood throughout his body.
"What?"
Looking to his hands he saw that they were unblemished, the dull aches he'd gotten used to vanished and as he flexed his muscles he felt his tank top react confirming that he has indeed recovered.
"What happened?"
Tank Top Master looked to Mumen Rider who was sitting up looking alarmed.
"How do you feel?"
"Me?" and it was at that moment the C-Class hero realized "I feel…good actually."
He demonstrated his own recovery by pulling his hand out of the sling and taking of the bandages around his head and face revealing it to be completely devoid of injuries.
"It seems that whatever that blast was healed us" Tank Top Master spoke with furrowed brows.
"Do you have any idea who or what could have done this?"
"I don't."
Just as he was contemplating things the commotion from outside gained both their attention. Tank Top Master was quick to respond with Mumen Rider following close behind pulling off his cumbersome bandages as he did. The two heroes entered the hallway to see pandemonium as doctors and nurses flitted about in panic. It didn't take long before the duo to be noticed or rather for the S-Class hero to be noticed.
"What's happening?" Tank Top Master questioned the closest nurse.
"W-we're not sure sir. I thought we were coming under attack again when purple lights started flying everywhere but now-"
"Master!"
The three looked to find the group of formerly hospitalized members of the Tank Topper Army running towards them. As they surrounded him pushing the C-Class hero and nurse aside Tank Top Master was bombarded with questions.
"You're healed as well Master!"
"I knew it!"
"Is this the power of the legendary tank top?"
"Settle down" Tank Top Master raised his voice and they all obeyed "I'm glad to see that you've all recovered."
While Tank Top Master addressed his students (read: underlings) another group flooded out the corridor all of them wearing black suits.
Mumen Rider knew them 'the Blizzard Group'
He heard that they were in the hospital after they fought a particularly powerful Demon level monster. The group was lead by the highest ranking members who looked to be on a mission as they briskly left the area.
"Where are they going?" Mumen Rider mumbled before another sound reached his ears.
"Big brother wait!" the shout of the young girl caught everyone's attention.
From one of the room the S-Class hero Metal Bat exited the room fully dressed except for his black jacket. His namesake weapon was held in one hand and his jacket held in the other hand being tugged by a little girl who bore some resemblance to the man himself.
"Don't just start walking out of a hospital after getting hit by that weird beam thing!"
"I told ya already Zenko, I'm feeling fine" he demonstrated by easily lifting the jacket and bodily hoisting her up so she came face to face with him "see?"
"Just because you're feeling a little better…" she grumbled.
"I'm telling ya Zenko-"
"The last time you tried to run off with injuries you collapsed after I hit you over the head!"
"I ain't gonna collapse" he reassured "you can hit me as much as you want."
"Hmph I'm not gonna hit you stupid! What do you take me for?"
Before Metal Bat can answer he was interrupted "Metal Bat."
The siblings turned to find Tank Top Master approaching Zenko seeing that they were getting attention let go of the jacket dropping down to her feet and began smoothing out her dress.
With his jacket free Metal Bat put it on in one smooth motion before looking to his fellow S-Class "you're here too, Tank Top Master?"
"Yes, and I'm guessing you were also hit with that strange light."
"Yeah, thought it was an attack but it ended up healing me."
"That appears to be the case for everyone in the hospital."
"That right" Metal Bat put on his jacket easily before speaking "I'm heading to the Hero Association, you coming with?"
Tank Top Master smiled "of course."
"Master!"
"Brother!"
The two S-Class heroes turned to their respective companions.
"We want to go with you!" yelled Tank Top Vegetarian the second-in-command of the group.
"No, the rest of you stay on standby and be ready to move out just in case" Tank Top Master shouted.
"But sir…" Tank Top Girl began only to be silenced by a raised hand.
"I understand that you're all eager to get back into the thick of it but there's a time and a place. Given how many monsters attacked during the initial invasion they must have hundreds more members at their headquarters. While I and the other S-Class are at the Monster Association the rest of you will assist in rescue efforts and taking care of any stragglers, am I understood?"
"Yes Master!" they chorused.
Meanwhile Bad took his sister aside and kneeled before her "I have to go Zenko."
The girl did not look enthused by this. It's not as if Zenko was not aware of the inherent problems with his work as a hero but she did not like it. In fact she absolutely hated it, the violence and having to worry about his safety. It's the reason why he promised never to do anything violent when in her presence. Meeting him after that fight with that weirdo was just a reminder of all the things she despised about her brother being a hero.
At the same time Zenko wasn't so selfish or ignorant that she would bar him from doing it either. Her brother is strong and he uses that strength to protect people and beat monsters which is a way more productive use than beating up other delinquents in street fights.
So with that in mind Zenko nodded stiffly "fine, but you have to promise to come back safe!"
In response he smirked "who do you think I am?"
"An idiot who tried to take on that big monster even though you couldn't even take a hit from me" she answered fuming.
Bad only ruffled her hair in response much to her chagrin yet she didn't stop it.
He did stop when Tank Top Master started approaching and with a nod the two S-Class heroes left the hospital to join the battle.
~O~
Saitama touched down at the Hero Association HQ with a great deal of fanfare. After the colossal failure in security that resulted in a member of the Monster Association successfully infiltrating the building, taking over the body of one of their workers and murdering one of the executives the Hero Association initiated a complete overhaul of their security. Taking a page out of Solaria's book they ended up firing most security personnel for their seeming incompetence and handed the reigns over to Metal Knight.
The S-Class Hero was quick to implement his own brand of security or rather quadruple down on it considering he redesigned the entire base after scavenging from the Alien ship. This is why even before he touched down the sensors had detected Saitama's approach and a variety of automated weapons were trained on him the moment he landed. Saitama himself wasn't really bothered by this and continued his casual stroll towards the entrance while the drones used a variety of sensors to confirm his identity.
By the time he reached halfway the doors were already opening to allow him inside. Waiting for him in the lobby was one of the staff who had a cybernetic eye.
'Hm, he looks kinda familiar.'
"Hello One-Punch Man."
"Call me Saitama" he paused getting a good look at the man "…uh…" he trailed off.
"I am-"
"Don't tell me I can figure this out" Saitama interrupted remembering Tomoro's advice about dealing with his memory issue "you're…Sekingal!" he pointed with a triumphant expression.
"Sekingar" the man clarified smoothly.
"Eh, close enough" Saitama shrugged "so what's up? Am I late for the meeting?"
Sekingar accepted his faux pas without issue and answered his question "you are the last to arrive."
"Tch" Saitama clicked his tongue at that "damn I thought I left pretty early this morning."
"Most of the S-Class heroes arrived days prior and have been waiting for when the Monster Association was found."
"So I wasn't late?" he said with a gleam in his eyes.
"…no."
"Okay cool."
"I understand that you are cohabitating with Demon Cyborg, will he be joining us?"
"Genos said he's gonna upgrade his body so he'll miss the meeting. Probably going to show up late for the fight too now that I think about it" he added.
"I see."
Sekingar knew there was a possibility Demon Cyborg would be absent due to sustaining injuries during his battle with Elder Centipede but he was hoping the cyborg would have been able to make it at the start of the raid.
'We'll just have to make do with who we have then.'
As they came upon the meeting room Sekingar posed another question "after the incident with Elder Centipede you were accompanied by another individual correct?"
"Yeah."
"They were able to heal the fallen heroes to perfect health, is this true?"
Now he had his full attention as the hero turned to face him with a not-so blank expression "what about it?"
"Would it be possible for you to set up a meeting between him and the Hero Association? Someone with his ability is greatly needed in the Hero Association especially at this time."
Saitama looked to him then averted his gaze contemplation while scratching his cheek with a finger "I mean, I can ask but he doesn't strike me as the type to want to be a hero."
"He doesn't have to be if he doesn't want to. I-the Hero Association are primarily interested in his ability as a healer."
Saitama considered this before ultimately shrugging "alright I'll talk to him about it."
"That is all I ask, thank you" he gave a respectful nod before turning away "if you'll excuse me."
"You're not joining the meeting?" he questioned since he's the one apparently overseeing the operation itself.
"Child Emperor insists on hosting the strategy meeting with only the S-Class heroes present and similarly I need to brief the other heroes taking part in the raid."
"Child Emperor?"
"He is leading the assault on the Monster Association headquarters" Sekingar clarified.
"Isn't he a bit young?"
"He is still an S-Class hero and a genius."
"Not doubting whether or not he could do it" Saitama clarified "just saying it's a lot of responsibility to put on a kid."
Sekingar gave a brief hum acknowledgment before continuing "I will be overseeing the operation itself, acting as overwatch and will be maintaining contact with the Hero Association."
"Cool."
Saitama shrugged as he entered the room gaining the attention of its occupants present: Child Emperor, Super Alloy Darkshine, Pig God, Flashy Flash, Zombie Man, Tatsumaki, Puri Puri Prisoner, Bang, Bomb, Atomic Samurai and a few members of staff on standby catering to their needs…though their services seemed to only be utilized by Pig God.
"Yo" his casual greeting elicited a few reactions from his fellow S-Class. A few polite greetings, nods or silence though one voice rose above them all.
"You're late Baldie!" Tatsumaki loudly proclaimed with a glare.
"Am I?" he said looking at the empty seats.
Before the esper could escalate things Child Emperor cut her off "actually you're right on time One-Punch Man, we were just about to begin."
With that said Child Emperor booted up a hologram which showed an image of the planet before zooming in as Child Emperor began his speech.
"To get you all up to speed last night while I was still finalizing the location of the Monster Association base I was sent an e-mail from an anonymous source claiming to be an informant for director Nova" the young hero paused "the contents of the e-mail contained detailed information about the Monster Association, it's location, the location of various entrances, a rough estimate of its total membership as well as the names and abilities of certain monsters that could pose a threat to us."
As he spoke the holograms changed, expanded and multiplied to give a visual display of his words.
"The director was working with an informant?" Puri Puri Prisoner questioned with mild surprise.
"Can we trust them?" Zombieman commented with suspicion "for all we know they could be compromised."
"I can assure you he is not Zombieman" Bang spoke with a measured "I was there when the information was discussed and the message sent."
"You were there?" Atomic Samurai raised a curious eyebrow.
"I was there too. The info is good" Tatsumaki added with arms folded and an expression daring anyone to challenge her.
Flashy Flash ended up doing just that "is there a reason why you couldn't have brought the informant here?"
"Didn't see a reason to" she answered simply and vaguely.
Before any more words can be said Darkshine interrupted "if both Silver Fang and Tatsumaki are vouching for this person then that is good enough for me."
"Same" added Pig God in between slurps of his mega sized cola.
Child Emperor chose that moment to re-interject into the conversation "as for the information I was able to confirm the validity of a few of them"
Once again the image changed to show an over the top down view of City Z Ghost town with a few red dots.
"Using special thermography on my satellites as well utilizing surveillance drones to sweep the area I was able to confirm that the information was spot on about the number of monsters within as well as the location of several entrances. Unfortunately my drones were summarily destroyed before they could do a proper infiltration so we'll be going in blind."
None of them seemed particularly bothered by this however Atomic Samurai asked a pertinent question "what are the numbers looking like?"
"At least 500 monsters give or take. We would each have to kill around 50 but I'm not particularly worried about those numbers since a majority of the monsters present will most likely be fodder for us. What I am worried about however are the capabilities of their higher ranking members."
At that the images changed to two familiar individuals.
"Metal Knight attempted to follow Elder Centipede to their hideout however he was defeated in the process."
Tatsumaki scoffed "the old man probably has a dozen more of the same robot and whatever else he has lying around that lab of his. He could very well send something else to help with the mission if he wanted to."
"I'm sure Metal Knight has his reasons for not participating Tatsumaki" Bang attempted to placate.
"Yeah, he's a coward" she sneered.
Despite his own reservation with his old mentor's choices Child Emperor went on to defend him "Metal Knight informed me that he wanted to stay back in case of the worst case scenario and we end up failing. He assures me that he will be on standby with relief aid in the event of our success or to act as a contingency in case we fail."
When put like that the militant and tactical minded heroes seemed more forgiving of the hero's absence. Though most of them couldn't fathom a world where they would actually lose so badly that they would need the kind of backup Metal Knight would provide. Especially considering they used 'backup' lightly as knowing the man he would likely just drop a nuke on top of the Monster Association which in all honesty was a rather acceptable action to do if they end up failing.
Moving on Zombieman commented on the other image shown "I heard Drive Knight got taken out, is it true?" questioned.
"As far as we know" Child Emperor began explaining "he went on to investigate by himself before we lost the signal on his tracker. We haven't been able to get in contact with him since."
"Damn, to think Drive Knight would get taken out like that" Atomic Samurai mused with furrowed brows.
"Well he has a cyborg body so he should be fine, right?" Darkshine spoke in an attempt at reassurance though it was clear to many that he was trying to convince himself just as much as the others.
Child Emperor was about to move on when-
"Hey."
Child Emperor almost jumped out of his skin upon hearing the voice behind him. Turning to face the ominous voice did not lower his nerves as the person interrupting their meeting was none other than-
"Amai Mask!?" Child Emperor exclaimed "what are you doing here?"
The idol hero ignored the question as his eyes roamed over the gathered heroes "I was wondering why no one was in the waiting room" his gaze went back to Child Emperor, pinning the young hero with a glare "what is the meaning of this Child Emperor? How dare you start this meeting without me after I explicitly told you I would be joining the task force?"
"Wait-wait time out!" the young hero said as bit down a little on his lollipop out of anxiety "what are you talking about?"
The top ranked A-Class hero narrowed his eyes before folding his arms "I sent a message through Sekingar that I would be accompanying you lot on this mission. He assured me that you will be given the message."
Now it was child Emperor's turn to furrow his brows "I ever got a message like that."
"Ah" suddenly they were interrupted by Tatsumaki who had a thoughtful expression as she tapped a fist into her open palm "now I remember, after you went to sleep Sekingar tried to bother you about a message like that" she shrugged "I didn't want him disturbing your sleep so I sent him away."
Child Emperor's jaw dropped "Tatsumaki…why didn't you tell me?"
The esper rolled her eyes "this mission is too important to waste time babysitting that guy."
At her words Amai Mask gained a look in his eyes whilst still maintaining his calm façade. It was the kind of expression that would send men and monster alike cowering for fear of their lives. In the face of those gathered none of them were at all fazed by this not even Child Emperor whose mild nervousness came not from the expression itself but the thought of the hero using his clout with the executives to cause trouble in general and provoke the other heroes. Well he seemed to be doing that already with how some of the heroes were glaring at him.
"Is that what you think Child Emperor?" Amai Mask questioned with deceptive calmness.
'No choice but to rip the band aid off now.'
The hero went on to explain how he wanted to split the task force into two teams. The ground team will infiltrate the Monster Association base and rescue the hostage while eliminating every monster they come across while the surface team will close off all but one exit and pick off any stragglers that attempt to escape.
At that point Amai Mask interrupted "and let me guess, you want me to be a part of the surface team correct?"
"Well…"
"Stop beating around the bush Isamu" Tatsumaki admonished not noticing the wince the boy gave at her using his real name or the raised eyebrow from some of the other heroes at her familiar address. The esper directed a glare at Amai Mask "this meeting is for S-Class only" she paused glancing at the Bomb before adding "or those invited by an S-Class and nobody invited you. In fact nobody wants you here in the first place."
"Tatsumaki!" Child Emperor exclaimed.
"Now, now" Bang placated only to be interrupted by Amai Mask.
"S-Class only" Amai Mask chuckled reaching a hand up to grip his face "what a joke" the veins in his neck visibly bulged and as he spoke and the tension rose as the room was flooded with killing intent.
It was enough that it garnered several reaction from most of the gathered heroes.
Puri Puri Prisoner and Darkshine almost recoiled at the sudden bloodlust wafting off the previously innocuous man.
Bang and Bomb gave pronounced frowns at the display with the former keeping his peace for now. Pig God actually paused mid bite…then continued to eat at a slower pace (for him).
Zombieman's eyes narrowed and his trigger finger twitched in response as he scrutinized the hero.
Atomic Samurai and Flashy Flash gripped their sheathed weapons tighter ever so slightly with the latter's own killing intent rising
Saitama watched the drama unfold completely unaffected by the happenings and taking a sip of his newly delivered tea.
Child Emperor swallowed the pieces of his lollipop he ended up chomping through when Amai Mask started.
Tatsumaki merely raised an eyebrow at the display not at all phased by it or by his glare.
"I've explained this before but let me clarify this again" began the idol hero "the only reason why I am still in the A-Class is by my own choice. I act as the final examiner a gatekeeper if you will and judge to anyone aspiring to become part of the S-Class. I have many talents and the Hero Association has seen fit to have me utilize some of these talents outside of general heroics to support the organization. Because of this you all look down on me as unqualified but I assure you I am not lacking in skill and I more qualified to be here than some of you."
He cast his gaze over the assembled heroes again to see that he now had their interest and weariness in some cases. Regardless they now no longer looked at him as someone unqualified to be there. He wouldn't usually care what they would think of him but he didn't have the time to argue semantics and he figured the sooner they accept him without underestimating his ability then the sooner they can get back to important matters.
"You've made your point Amai Mask" Bang interrupted with a frown.
"He's right, you can drop the killing intent" Atomic Samurai followed up.
He did not do so immediately as he looked to Child Emperor with the unasked question "well?"
The young hero sighed "does anyone have an issue with Amai Mask joining this meeting?"
As he said this he gave a particularly pointed glare towards Tatsumaki who seemed as if she would object. He usually wouldn't however with her being the source of this unnecessary drama and his anxiety he felt more than a little tired at her antics.
His vindication rose when upon seeing his expression she paused as something flashed in her expression and she turned away with a huff "whatever."
And with that thought the tension dropped as the killing intent cut off and Amai Mask took a seat in one of the empty chairs.
Interlaced his fingers Amai Mask pressed them just below his nose and asked a simple question "now I want to know what we are doing to rescue Miss Nova and crush the Monster Association."
After an abridged recap of what they went over before his arrival (and being shocked he didn't question Solaria working with an informant) Child Emperor continued where they were left off.
"I may not have been able to use my drones to scout the interior of the Monster Association but I was able to map out the layout all the same" the hologram changed to a veritable multi storey skyscraper "keep in mind that all of this is underground."
"All this is underground!?" Darkshine said incredulously.
His reaction made sense as what seemed to be a skyscraper at first glance was actually an interconnected series of tunnels and floors that extended for miles.
"I see so the difficulty won't necessarily be fighting the monsters but navigating this labyrinth" Bang mused as he fiddled with his mustache in thought.
"They'll likely use guerrilla tactics to take advantage of the terrain" Zombieman commented as he scrutinized the hologram "I see a lot of positions perfect for ambushes."
"Do you know where they are keeping Solaria?" Amai Mask questioned as he glared at the hologram.
"No" Child Emperor frowned "we'll have to interrogate the monsters for that information."
"Should be simple enough" Flashy Flash commented idly.
"That would be the case for most of them however there are several monsters that even we need to be careful of" Child Emperor scowled before the hologram changed to show a familiar monster "Elder Centipede who rampaged through City R and City S destroying the latter in the process before it was killed by One-Punch Man was not only a member of the Monster Association but a high ranking member as well" The image then changed to that of a video of an unfamiliar monster taken from a CCTV camera.
"Who's that?" Pig God commented with a raised eyebrow taking another bite of his burger.
"This is the monster that attacked the Super Fight tournament in City C."
"Weren't you supposed to be a guest judge Bang." Atomic Samurai turned to his fellow martial artist.
Bang now having the room's attention spoke keeping his eyes on the monster "I wasn't able to attend but I did speak with two of its participants, they fought this monster."
"This monster is confirmed to be a Dragon level threat" Child Emperor noted.
Now Atomic Samurai seemed more interested "they must be quite the martial artists."
Bang couldn't help but smile a little "one of them is Suicho's grandson."
Atomic Samurai's eyes widened "oh-ho now that's a surprise. So the legacy of the Void Fist is still going strong then. He must be quite the master to defeat a Dragon level threat."
"He had help and that monster" he gestured to the hologram "is actually Gouketsu."
"Gouketsu!" Atomic Samurai exclaimed with some shock looking back at the hologram.
"You know him Silver Fang?" Child Emperor questioned curiously.
"He was a notorious martial arts grandmaster" Bang explained "but I heard he died after challenging a powerful monster."
"Clearly not" Atomic Samurai frowned "I never knew the man himself but he had quite the reputation" he shook his head "even if he wasn't a saint to think a grandmaster of his standing could fall like it."
This time Bomb spoke up "according to the Void Fist heir when Gouketsu was defeated by the powerful monster instead of killing him they took him to their lair where he was transformed into a monster. At the Super Fight tournament he attempted to 'recruit' the tournament fighters for the Monster Association by having them eat something called a 'monster cell'."
"That sounds a lot like what Haragiri tried to do with the Council of Swordmasters."
"Haragiri?" Bang was familiar with the name though he didn't hear anything particularly good about the man himself "what did you do with him?"
"Slashed him to pieces" Atomic Samurai replied promptly "he was too far gone at that point."
Darkshine gained an uncomfortable expression "it's troubling that the Monster Association can turn people into monsters so easily."
"Is there no way to save someone from it?" Puri Puri Prisoner question with some hope.
Child Emperor shook his head sadly "as of now we barely have any information on the process itself let alone a proper solution."
"Oh" the incarcerated hero's shoulder sagged.
"Is something the matter?"
"A few my boys got tricked into becoming monsters and joining the Monster Association, I wanted to save them if possible."
Bang chose to spoke up "it was mentioned that the monsterfication process can't be forced on someone. They have to choose to do it."
The news seemed to devastate Puri Puri Prisoner "no way…then that means."
"They'll be put down like the rest of the monsters" Amai Mask said bluntly with a gleam in his eyes daring the S-Class hero to refute his words.
Puri Puri Prisoner seemed as if he would however he looked down and nodded before clenching his fist closed his eyes "I see…if that's case then leave any monsters in prisoner uniforms to me then."
Zombieman lit a cigarette "speaking of 'monster cell' I have some information that might shed some light on how they were able to create such a thing."
The S-Class hero then went to give a brief summary of his time investigating and tracking down the remnants of the House of Evolution. How he found the leader Dr. Genus and how the mad scientist explained how he was approached by an esper with an offer to work together. Combing his talents in bioengineering and her studies in monster anthropology they created the monster cells. In the end they separated due to 'creative differences' and each created their own organizations.
At the end of his speech Amai Mask gave the immortal hero a pointed look "if you caught the leader of the notorious House of Evolution why didn't you take him in?"
Zombieman blew out a puff of smoke returning the idol hero's gaze unflinchingly "he had a mutant bodyguard that blindsided me and they managed to escape."
Before Amai Mask could further comment Tatsumaki interrupted "who's the psychic?".
"He said her name was Psykos."
Immediately Tatsumaki's gaze became sharper "you sure that's what he said her name was?"
"Yeah" he raised an eyebrow "you know her?"
"I knew Psykos as an acquaintance of my sister in highschool" she scowled in thought "she went insane and got sent to an asylum for treatment. Last I heard she broke out and I haven't heard anything about her since."
Upon hearing that Child Emperor brought up a point "there is a psychic monster who goes by the name of Gyoro Gyoro acting as the Monster Association's tactician. It was the one that spoke to the executives when that parasite monster infiltrated the building."
The hologram changed to replay the video of said the confrontation.
By the end of it Tatsumaki had a dark expression on her face as she rested her knuckles on her cheek 'so she ended up turning herself into a monster.'
"I can only speculate that whatever research that may have been conducted to produce these 'monster cells' will be in there somewhere so we should make it a second priority to find the lab and destroy it."
After getting affirmation from most of the gathered Child Emperor moved on.
"As for what kind of resistance we'll be expecting there are several monsters that might pose a problem for some of us."
As he said this multiple display windows popped up featuring images of monsters and pertinent information about them including their: history, disaster threat level, abilities and so on.
"These are all the monsters with a disaster level of Demon."
This drew some interest from most of the gathered S-Class heroes due to each monster either having a notorious reputation, noteworthy combat potential or a special ability. Ultimately however they were all deemed more than manageable but the same could not be said for the next set of holographic images.
"These are the monsters that I'm really wary of" as he finished a new set of images materialized "from my understanding most of these monsters are Dragon level or have the potential to rapidly evolve into one and they were gathered specifically to counter us S-Class heroes."
All of the gathered studied the images and noted that the aforementioned Elder Centipede and Gouketsu were marked out. Child Emperor went on to give brief overviews of the Cadres including their history, special abilities and ways to counteract them. This time around the S-Class paid very close attention with most of them being very considerate of the monster they very well may face in the upcoming raid.
~O~
Earlier…
Sekingar left One-Punch Man and immediately began to ruminate on their conversation as he walked to the executive elevator.
"Worried?" a familiar voice questioned.
"Hm?" Sekingar looked to find that he was joined by Sitch at some point.
"You looked like you were lost in thought" the older man spoke "is it about the operation?"
"I was just thinking about the conversation I just had with One-Punch Man."
"You know he prefers to be called Saitama."
"So I was told" Sekingar said as both men entered the elevator.
Sitch could only chuckle with a shake of his head "did he say something interesting?"
"I broached the topic of him introducing us to his healer friend."
That caught Sitch's attention "Tomoro Sazaki, what did he say about him?"
"He said that the man would not be interested in becoming a hero however he will relay the request."
"That's all we can hope for at the moment."
Sekingar nodded as he began thinking about the side mission that had been put on the backburner in face of the current crisis. It first started with Lightning Max and Snek's report on what happened in City C and the Super Fight tournament. Due to so many things happening at once it might have fell to the wayside however several instances of the report given to them by Lightning Max and Snek got the attention of Sitch who brought Sekingar in to conduct an investigation.
At the time City C came under attack Demon Cyborg was the only S-Class hero in the city and he did a commendable job of eliminating the invading monsters. Then the City C branch of the Hero Association abruptly lost contact with him only to get a message warning them of a possible Dragon level threat appearing. Since the few monsters left after Demon Cyborg's actions were being handled by the local B and C-Class heroes protecting the evacuation center they figured it to be either a mistake on Demon Cyborg's part or that the monster went elsewhere.
They were right in that as it turned out its target was the Super Fight tournament or rather their contestants. At this point they did not know the enemy could turn humans into monsters and it appears the Dragon level monster planned to recruit the Super Fight contestants for the Monster Association just as they did with the prisoners at the Smelly Lid Prison. Sekingar was disturbed to find that several of the fighters also underwent the transformation willingly.
In any case the monsters ended up being thwarted by Lightning Max and Snek who participated in the tournament as well as two of the Super Fight contestants. Well according to the report the two heroes played less of an active role in the battle mostly aiding one of the two other contestants instead. Said contestant happened to be Suiryu the current champion of the tournament. According to the database the Hero Association did attempt to recruit him into however he rejected them and quite flippantly at that.
The other fighter however was someone completely new and if the reports are to be believed he was someone who could be even stronger than Suiryu who was already thought to be S-Class material. It turns out this individual was the one responsible for defeating the two Dragon level monsters both of whom turned out to have been powerful martial arts masters and former Super Fighter champions. That would have motivated Sekingar immensely to find the man as he was a rare S-Class prospect however it was the other ability he may have demonstrated.
He could heal people.
Sekingar wasn't sure at first but even then he found it suspicious that every surviving Super Fight contestant seemed perfectly fine which should have been impossible based not just on the reports but also on the fact that they were literally in a fighting tournament. In any case they found out the man's name was Tomoro Sazaki and running his identity through the database came up with a Tomoro Sazaki working as an accountant for a small firm. What was more interesting however was the fact that his address was listed as being in the abandoned section of City Z specifically in the same apartment complex as One-Punch Man himself.
Unfortunately before Sekingar could act on this information and send out agents to recruit him Solaria was kidnapped and the Monster Association gave their ultimatum. All hands needed to be on deck and Sekingar put Tomoro Sazaki on the backburner for the time being. It was only while he was perusing the reports on Elder Centipede that he came across the reports that the man was put back in his mind.
Not only did he appear with One-Punch Man during the Elder Centipede incident he also demonstrated his healing ability once again by healing the heroes on the scene. According to some of the heroes not only did he seem to know One-Punch Man and Demon Cyborg but even Silver Fang and his brother Bomb as well. It was the reason why he first approached the two martial artists for information on him but to no avail. The two were very reticent when it came to giving up any kind of information about him and Silver Fang all but brushed him off.
At least he was polite about it.
With One-Punch Man Sekingar went for a more subtle approach and suggested a meeting with the man instead. He also made sure to assure the hero that they were only interested in his healing ability which was true. Regardless of whether or not they could get him as a healer or a full time hero was irrelevant so long as they establish good relations with him. Hopefully his apparent association with One-Punch Man will set a precedent that will endear him to the idea of working with them in the same vain as Silver Fang's brother.
The Hero Association did attempt to recruit Bomb of the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist however they were rejected. Despite this his relation alone to Silver Fang ensured that they had an ally of at least similar power to the S-Class hero and the result was him aiding them without any kind of additional incentive from the Hero Association, monetary or otherwise.
The familiar sound of spinning and motors reached his ears as Sekingar looked to the various monitor located in the elevator.
"They've arrived" Sitch commented.
Sekingar nodded "thanks to Mr. Sazaki I was able to secure more A-Class heroes for this operation."
"Even so we're still at a disadvantage" Sitch commented severely.
'A shame I didn't think to get in contact with him sooner.'
If he could go back in time he would have made it a higher priority to find him but the Hero Association was already stretched thin as is. First the mass layoff and corporate restructure by solaria then the Hero Hunter followed by the Monster Association. Recruiting someone who could bring their numbers back up was a missed opportunity but not too damning so long as the operation goes relatively smoothly.
"It will have to do" Sekingar spoke before he was interrupted by a call from his phone "yes, what is it?"
Sitch couldn't hear what the person said on the other line however he observed the younger man's expression turned to one of shock and incredulity.
"What? Are you certain?" Sitch observed as Ssekingar spoke to the person on the other line for a minute before he spoke "send a transport for them immediately."
After Sekingar hung up Sitch posed the question "what was that about?"
Sekingar smiled "if what I heard was correct a miracle has just taken place."
"What do you mean?"
Sekingar simply smiled as the elevator doors opened as finally they arrived at the indoor heliport where the heroes were waiting for them.
~O~
A Little While Ago…
Tomoro was easily able to deliver the truck to the storage unit however on his way he came upon a particular place he's never really thought much of before. So after finishing his task he now floated above the Hero Association hospital where he sensed Tank Top Master and Metal Bat to be recovering from their injuries. It wasn't hard to parse them apart from the myriad of presences within the building considering both of them have the strongest ki signatures.
They also had the weirdest signatures too.
"What in the…"
The stronger of the two he's sure was Metal Bat since Tank Top Master wouldn't have a child visiting him. For some reason Metal Bat's ki signature was as refined as a martial arts Master which shouldn't be possible since Tomoro was certain that the man himself isn't a martial artist by any stretch.
"Is this because of his so-called fighting spirit?" he mused to himself.
The OPM manga never gave a definitive answer to what Metal Bat's 'fighting spirit' was but even back then Tomoro (and most who read shounen) theorized it be some form of internal usually found in the genre (think chi, ki, spirit energy, chakra etc) different names but same broad stroke application. Regardless it still brought up a rather shocking revelation about the delinquent hero.
"Unbelievable somehow this brat was able to access and utilize his ki without undergoing years of martial arts training or meditation" he paused shaking his head "no, that's the wrong way to think of it."
It's not like he needs to train in martial arts. Tomoro can make the assumption that before he became a hero Metal Bat was a delinquent and most likely got into a lot of fights which could have been its own form of training. As for meditation if you want to get down to the brass tacks then it is merely clearing one's conscious thought to focus on something specific. There is actually a shocking amount of way one can recreate this phenomenon without assuming the lotus position.
"In any case to get his ki to such a level he'd have to have been using it frequently for years" he paused before scoffing "he's not even been using it right."
Ki is present in all living things. Some have more than others but those who actively tap into it the most are usually martial artists and monsters in some cases. A point of contention in modern martial arts was 'mastery' and what exactly constitutes becoming a true Master. The answer to that question is and will always be ki control and refinement. Of course skill in martial arts is also a major factor but once a martial artist reaches a certain level of ki refinement and control then they will be acknowledged as a Master by the wider community.
It's the reason why despite his former arrogance, indulgence in certain vices, indolence and general lackadaisical attitude Tomoro acknowledged Suiryu as a Master. Metal Bat is definitely aware of ki and he's managed to tap into it enough that in terms of volume and refinement he is a Master. At least at a glance but in truth though compared to an actual master Metal Bat's ki refinement is actually quite crude.
'And that's the difference between being aware of one's ki and having proper control of it.'
That's the most painful part of the realization that while this rowdy delinquent managed to discover something so incredible but ended up using it to help him swing around a freaking bat. Tomoro could only imagine how far Metal Bat would be right now if he actually took up a proper martial art.
"Garou really was lucky he ended up being some meathead who could only swing around a bat."
Shaking his head Tomoro moved on from that mildly depression situation with Metal Bat to focus on the other S-Class hero. If he was being honest out of all the S-Class Tank Top Master was portrayed as the blandest and most forgettable. Just a really strong guy whose gimmick is wearing a tank top he proclaims to be the source of his power. He expected this to be reflected in his ki signature. That is, being abnormally large by regular human standard but otherwise nothing special.
That was not the case.
"What the hell?"
There was something different about Tank Top Master's ki signature in that it wasn't just a single signature but two. Just as he expected Tank Top Master's actual ki signature is abnormally large for a human but otherwise generic. Then there was the other smaller yet noticeable signature that was most certainly not human. Said signature wasn't so much intertwined with Tank Top Master's ki as it was wrapped around it like armor.
"That's not right…"
That comparison was quite accurate as the more he observed it the more he could actually envision what it looked like and rather than armor it seemed more like a…like a…
"Tank…top…?"
Huuh?
Tomoro shook his head yet his senses were still focused and he could not separate the image from that mystery ki signature. Then he wiped the metaphorical glasses to see that what his mind's eye pictured was actually accurate. The mystery energy signature was actually coming from the freaking tank top.
"Bwaah" Tomoro is pretty sure his expression in that moment was akin that old Jackie Chan meme he vaguely remembered.
From what he could sense the tank top's energy signature seems to be boosting TTM's own ki which in turn is actually speeding up his recovery process.
"…oh my God" he groaned.
Tomoro knew exactly what was going on.
Fun Fact: the author of One Punch Man actually made a second series called Mob Psycho 100. That particular series focuses more on the supernatural and paranormal aspects. It's all about psychics and spirits among other things.
The point of mentioning that series was to point out that on occasion supernatural and paranormal phenomena will appear on Tomoro's radar. Sometimes he will pick up energy signatures not belonging to humans or monsters and he's actually come across legitimate spirits before. He's also come across objects imbued with this same energy, in one particular encounter with shrine priest he explained that these objects are actually cursed.
Now does that mean Tank Top Master is rocking a cursed tank top? Tomoro couldn't say if only because the tank top doesn't actually seem to be hurting him. It is at least partially sentient however which is mildly disturbing because he could not dismiss mind control or influence. It would certainly explain why the guy is so passionate about tank tops of all things and chose to make said article of clothing the focus of his personality.
His eyes narrowed "does he even know?"
If not about the nature of the tank top then he must at least be aware that he's not wearing a regular tank top.
"Wait a minute…" his eyes squinted as he searched for a moment "I think I see what's going on here."
Tank Top Master wasn't the only one as Tomoro could sense that the tank tops of Tank Topper Army also had their own energy signatures. Of course theirs did not come close to Tank Top Master and some were more pronounced than others but it spoke of definite pattern.
'I really hope this doesn't turn out to be some tank top cult ala Dimple.'
Moving on from those thoughts and the ridiculousness of it Tomoro knew that in the OPM webcomic both heroes would miss the battle with the Monster Association entirely. He wasn't so sure the same could be said for the manga though since its basically its own continuity at this point. The last chapter of the One Punch Man manga he read before he got reincarnated had Tatsumaki pulling the Monster Association out of the ground in its entirety and was gearing up to fight the Psykos Orochi fusion. He's not even sure if things will end up getting to that point as both he and Solaria have done so much to actively divert the timeline.
Just thinking about that had him grimacing.
In any case he came here for the express purpose of healing Metal Bat and Tank Top Master so they could join the assault thereby stacking the deck even more in favor of the Hero Association. If nothing about the raid changed then he might have said it wasn't needed but with Solaria's capture and 'Dr. Psycho' showing up he just wasn't sure anymore. Even more wild is the fact that had he not met Do-S and decide to take her in on a whim he wouldn't have known about that not-so-little change in the 'script.'
But why stop there?
It wasn't just Metal Bat and Tank Top Master in that hospital but the Blizzard Group as well as the Tank Topper Army were in there. He didn't really think they would or even could contribute to the battle against the Monster Association but he figured having them out there ready to protect the cities and maintain public order especially after the immediate fallout would be time better spent than being laid up in a hospital.
With that in mind Tomoro's body erupted in a purple flame-like aura.
~O~
The Blizzard Group was the only faction in the Hero Association that carried itself like a traditional corporate organization. As a matter of fact one could say that it is a traditional corporate organization whose businesses just so happened to be hero work. This is reflected in how it carried out the majority of its operations and most importantly how it develops policies and utilizes protocols. Case in point Fubuki is the uncontested leader of the group with the executive members (that is the A-Class as well as the highest ranking B-Class members) playing the role of sub-commanders who lead their own platoons.
In the case of Fubuki being incapacitated or otherwise unable to lead then the responsibility of leadership will naturally fall to the Blizzard executives.
Why was this important?
Because this morning Fubuki failed to show for breakfast and considering she keeps to a methodical morning routine they found her absence to be suspicious. After a preliminary search of her penthouse revealed her to be absent yet her cellphone Fubuki was declared missing. Naturally the executives were called on to investigate and Lily ended up being the one to provide the means of shedding light on what happened to their leader via her access to the hidden cameras in Fubuki's room.
None of the others even knew Fubuki kept cameras in her room but it made sense that the only other person to know or even have access to them would be Lily. Not only did the Blizzard Group's youngest member work as Fubuki's personal assistant she was also fanatically loyal to the woman. So loyal that she did not actually show most of the footage to the others so as to maintain her mentor's privacy. What she did ended up showing them after some editing on her part was shocking to say the least.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa you're telling me the boss got kidnapped by her own sister!?" exclaimed Needle Star.
The shock was reflected on the expressions of the others along with concern. There was not a person in that room who wasn't aware of the friction between the two sisters.
"There has to be an explanation for this" Eyelashes spoke.
Luckily for the group after editing the video to preserve Fubuki's dignity and reputation Lily was able to show them a clip that gave an abbreviated version of events. It appears the point of contention was that the Hero Association is planning a raid on the Monster Association and was gathering a strike team of skilled lower class heroes to aid the S-Class. According to Lily Tatsumaki used her influence to take Fubuki off that strike force, Fubuki found out about it and was planning to join a third party in raiding the Monster Association.
Who this third party is none had any idea however they did float the theory of the third party being a group of disenfranchised heroes willing to go behind the Hero Association's back to score points and go up in the ranks. It sounded dangerous, reckless, foolishly desperate and unfortunately something that their illustrious leader may actually consider if she thought it worth the cost.
Fubuki is highly respected as an intelligent and charismatic woman and a capable leader. That doesn't mean that they are ignorant of her quirks which come back to the chip on her shoulder against her sister. It is an open secret among them that Fubuki is obsessed with coming out from under her sister's shadow and that she believes the only way to get out from under Tatsumaki's shadow and prove herself is to become an S-Class. To this end she has made some questionable decisions and took risks that were unnecessary so long as it ended up promoting her in rank.
Questionable and risky as those decisions were it ultimately worked in the long run and now she is the second ranked A-Class hero. The problem she's been at this position for longer than she has any other rank before and to make matters worse it wasn't even as if she was competing with the first rank A-Class hero. Instead she constantly has to defend her place against with Iaian who has declared Fubuki to be his rival and is a constant thorn in her side.
Then there is the veritable mountain that is Amai Mask who is the only reason why she has been stuck in this veritable rank limbo. She has tried many things to attempt to get past him only to turn up short. Amai Mask was just too popular and important to the Hero Association on so many levels for her to topple him from a position he is deliberately staking claim to. It is also unfair that the Hero Association executives would look to his recommendation before they even promote someone's class. So she needed to impress Amai Mask who has notoriously high standard.
With all that in mind assisting in a raid against the greatest enemies of the Hero Association (and mankind itself) to rescue the co-creator and most important executive of the Hero Association as well as the most powerful woman in the world was definitely something that could get her into the S-Class. The fact that her sister was using her influence to basically sabotage Fubuki's chance to go up in the rankings could be seen as her trying to keep Fubuki in her shadow.
Given everything they know about her the realization might just be the tipping point that would make Fubuki do something drastic.
After coming to this conclusion Mountain Ape asked the most pertinent question "what do we do?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Lily scowled "we find out where Miss Fubuki is and free her!"
"Is that really wise?" everyone turned to Glasses who continued "maybe there is merit in what her sister did and we should let it be."
Everyone Lily mostly looked scandalous at such an insinuation "what are you talking about Glasses!?"
"Hear me out" he held a hand up "it is an established fact at this point that the Monster Association has more powerful monsters than we fought and lost against. I am of course talking about Dragon level monsters such as Elder Centipede."
They all collectively gained troubled expressions at his words feeling the sting at the reminder of their defeat at the hands of the Demon level monster as well as reminding them of the report on the full scope of the invasion. Aside from the one they fought there were reports of multiple Demon level monsters one of which massacred dozens of people and heroes in City V. Yet that news paled in comparison to the Hero Association confirming the appearances of two Dragon level monsters in City C but fortunately the monsters were defeated by the Super Fight contestants.
Given that the Monster Association was challenging the Hero Association it stands to reason they would have something up their sleeves to challenge the S-Class. Whatever the case may be it won't change the fact that wherever they end up battling will be the most dangerous place in the world.
"As much as I respect Miss Fubuki what she planned on doing wasn't just reckless but lso foolish."
It's one thing to have gone with the support of the Hero Association and S-Class heroes but to go with a bunch of unknown heroes who most likely would not be any better than her…
"Is her sister wrong for not wanting her be put in danger?"
The video of Tatsumaki trying to dissuade Fubuki from going through with it certainly sounded as much.
"That's…" Lily trailed off with uncertainty.
Certainly the young girl was loyal to Fubuki to a fault but at the same time she didn't want to put her in danger.
"That's not our call" Mountain Ape rumbled with his arms crossed "not that Miss Fubuki would be so reckless in the first place."
Eyelashes picked up with a resolute expression "don't misunderstand things Glasses Miss Fubuki wouldn't do something like this without careful consideration. It's not as though this is the first time she had to consider the pros of cons of embarking on something truly dangerous against the rewards reaped if she succeeded."
With his fellow Blizzard executive's peace said Needle Star chuckled "yeah, I say we rescue the boss from wherever the midget has her hold up and get in on the action."
And from his expression he meant it too.
"I don't know about that" Eyelashes shook his head "but I agree we should rescue Miss Fubuki."
"She wouldn't want us to go against her sister" Glasses pointed out.
They all remembered she said as much to them.
"Man what is with you being a coward today?" Needle Star griped with a scowl "did the midget scare you that much?"
Glasses wouldn't deny that his experience of being laid out by Tatsumaki with contemptuous ease didn't make him wary of the esper but in truth that was not the case.
"I just want to make sure that we're all in agreement since we will technically be going against the Hero Association just as much as the Tornado of Terror."
They all looked amongst each other before Needle Star spoke "who gives a shit?"
Glasses however ignored him to meet eyes with Eyelashes who nodded before giving the command.
"Make the call."
And glasses took out his phone ready to make the call to their agent on the inside of the Hero Association headquarters but before he could a purple laser flew through the window and slammed into his chest.
"Glasses!" Lily exclaimed as he was knocked back into the bed with such force that he dropped the phone
That was not the end of it as more lasers came through the window heading directly for each of them. Unfortunately in their injured state the Blizzard executives could hardly muster up any kind of defense before they were each hit.
~O~
Metal Bat aka Bad could admit to himself that this could have been worse. Sure he failed to protect the executive he was put in charge of, wasn't able to finish his fight with that giant centipede, lost to that absolute prick Garou and was sidelined from taking part in whatever retaliation the Hero Association will cook up due to his injuries but there is a silver lining to all of this that almost makes up for it.
"What the heck are they trying to feed you here!?"
And that silver lining was his younger sister visiting him in the hospital and doting on him.
"Hey, what are you smiling about?" said sister questioned suspiciously.
"N-nothing" he waved off.
She stared at him for a few seconds before sighing and looking at the…food the nurse had delivered for his consumption with mild disgust.
"Seriously this is the stuff they feed the heroes who protect them from monsters?"
She said this while using a spoon to scoop up what was supposed to oatmeal though given how watery the thing is it might as well be soup.
Metal Bat cringed at the thing "Nurses told me some of the staff quit after the invasion. Guessing the guys working the kitchen left too."
"Why?"
He shrugged "probably didn't see the point working a job if they think the world is gonna end" which is ironic to him considering he knew about the Prophecy.
"That's stupid" Zenko scoffed "the Hero Association is going to beat them anyway…right?"
"Of course" he answered easily enough "even if I'm not there the other S-Class are nothing to scoff at."
He meant it too. For all that he found some of them to be annoying (Tatsumaki) Bad did genuinely respect all of the S-Class and isn't at all worried about them not succeeding, if not with saving the hostage then definitely destroying the Monster Association itself.
'Tch, I should be with them out there.'
While Metal Bat internally brooded Zenko picked up the watery oatmeal and put it away "you're not eating this."
She'd dump in the trash if she weren't so polite. He'd do it for her but with his injuries he didn't want her to worry even more than she already did.
"…!"
Metal Bat felt it before he saw it, a feeling washing over him like a palpable force before that made him react.
"Zenko!"
"H-huh!?" the girl only had time to jump at her brother's sudden yell before a purple laser flew through the open window.
Metal Bat acted immediately grabbing his trusty weapon he had laying next to him. He then tore his other handout of the sling and hopped over the bed in a tenth of second and swung his bat at the laser as if he were hitting a home run. Before the bat could hit however the laser forked over it at the last possible second resulting in a miss and due to his encumbering injuries he couldn't readjust in time before the laser slammed into his side sending him sprawling over the other side of the bed.
"Brother!"
~O~
Tank Top Master was enjoying the relative peace and quiet at the hospital. It was something he's come to appreciate as he looked back on the events that led him to be there in the first place. He went from an undefeated S-Class hero to being sidelined in a hospital following his loss to Garou, something he still occasionally thinks about with an air of dissatisfaction. In truth he's realized just how complacent he has become as of late yes he still kept to a regimen of course but it has become monotonous and with how weak the monsters he faced were neither provided the stimulus needed for him to really push himself.
In hindsight TTM felt embarrassed that he never considered he would fight someone akin to Silver Fang, i.e. a martial artist of significant strength. He'd only ever relied on pure tank top power to overwhelm his enemies because it worked…until it didn't. Garou showed him just how much he lacked by completely decimating him in their fight using his martial arts to bypass his power. He didn't have to imagine how that battle must have looked because he's actually seen Silver Fang dismantle big burly monsters before.
'And to think this happened in front of my students, how embarrassing.'
The worst thing that came from this was that Tank Top Master couldn't prevent Garou from turning on the members of the Tank Topper Army that came to cheer him on. It made him angry at Garou yes but he was mostly angry at himself for his hubris and lack of foresight. He shouldn't have brought them along in the first place but that's the thing about hindsight. In any case he's been hearing a lot of talk about his group and some of the things they've been up for a while now so hopefully this was just as much a learning experience for them as it was for him.
'I'd like to have a rematch with Garou but that's something that may not happen at this rate.'
Tank Top Master didn't expect to meet One-Punch Man. The strongest man in the world man is almost as much of an enigma as Blast and that's only because he bothers to show up to meetings. So imagine his surprise when his fellow S-Class came to visit a C-Class hero out of nowhere. Mumen Rider would go on to explain that he's been friends with Saitama ever since they met each other around when the Hero Association first formed. Back then they were both in C-Class and did patrols together. While he understood that everyone has to start somewhere Tank Top Master just cannot fathom One-Punch Man being in C-Class.
In any case bald hero had taken an interest in Garou which was unusual because for as long as he knew the man Tank Top Master has never seen One-Punch Man interested in anything really.
'I hope you've enjoyed you're reign of terror Garou because you've caught the attention of the strongest man in the world.'
For as much as he will acknowledge Garou to be a superior fighter to him and great martial artist there is no way he will be able to put up a fight against One-Punch Man let alone defeat him.
"…!"
Tank Top Master's thoughts suddenly screeched to a halt as he felt his tank top tighten around his chest. A sense of foreboding came over him just before he heard a commotion something his fellow hero also noticed.
"What is that?" Mumen Rider exclaimed "another monster attack?"
Tank Top Master thought the same before two purple lasers flew through the window immediately hitting Mumen Rider. Tank Top Master did not even have the time to react to this before he crossed his arms to block another laser. To his shock however rather than impacting him it instead went inside his body.
"Oof!?"
The wind was knocked out of him though only briefly as he suddenly felt a rush of energy flood throughout his body.
"What?"
Looking to his hands he saw that they were unblemished, the dull aches he'd gotten used to vanished and as he flexed his muscles he felt his tank top react confirming that he has indeed recovered.
"What happened?"
Tank Top Master looked to Mumen Rider who was sitting up looking alarmed.
"How do you feel?"
"Me?" and it was at that moment the C-Class hero realized "I feel…good actually."
He demonstrated his own recovery by pulling his hand out of the sling and taking of the bandages around his head and face revealing it to be completely devoid of injuries.
"It seems that whatever that blast was healed us" Tank Top Master spoke with furrowed brows.
"Do you have any idea who or what could have done this?"
"I don't."
Just as he was contemplating things the commotion from outside gained both their attention. Tank Top Master was quick to respond with Mumen Rider following close behind pulling off his cumbersome bandages as he did. The two heroes entered the hallway to see pandemonium as doctors and nurses flitted about in panic. It didn't take long before the duo to be noticed or rather for the S-Class hero to be noticed.
"What's happening?" Tank Top Master questioned the closest nurse.
"W-we're not sure sir. I thought we were coming under attack again when purple lights started flying everywhere but now-"
"Master!"
The three looked to find the group of formerly hospitalized members of the Tank Topper Army running towards them. As they surrounded him pushing the C-Class hero and nurse aside Tank Top Master was bombarded with questions.
"You're healed as well Master!"
"I knew it!"
"Is this the power of the legendary tank top?"
"Settle down" Tank Top Master raised his voice and they all obeyed "I'm glad to see that you've all recovered."
While Tank Top Master addressed his students (read: underlings) another group flooded out the corridor all of them wearing black suits.
Mumen Rider knew them 'the Blizzard Group'
He heard that they were in the hospital after they fought a particularly powerful Demon level monster. The group was lead by the highest ranking members who looked to be on a mission as they briskly left the area.
"Where are they going?" Mumen Rider mumbled before another sound reached his ears.
"Big brother wait!" the shout of the young girl caught everyone's attention.
From one of the room the S-Class hero Metal Bat exited the room fully dressed except for his black jacket. His namesake weapon was held in one hand and his jacket held in the other hand being tugged by a little girl who bore some resemblance to the man himself.
"Don't just start walking out of a hospital after getting hit by that weird beam thing!"
"I told ya already Zenko, I'm feeling fine" he demonstrated by easily lifting the jacket and bodily hoisting her up so she came face to face with him "see?"
"Just because you're feeling a little better…" she grumbled.
"I'm telling ya Zenko-"
"The last time you tried to run off with injuries you collapsed after I hit you over the head!"
"I ain't gonna collapse" he reassured "you can hit me as much as you want."
"Hmph I'm not gonna hit you stupid! What do you take me for?"
Before Metal Bat can answer he was interrupted "Metal Bat."
The siblings turned to find Tank Top Master approaching Zenko seeing that they were getting attention let go of the jacket dropping down to her feet and began smoothing out her dress.
With his jacket free Metal Bat put it on in one smooth motion before looking to his fellow S-Class "you're here too, Tank Top Master?"
"Yes, and I'm guessing you were also hit with that strange light."
"Yeah, thought it was an attack but it ended up healing me."
"That appears to be the case for everyone in the hospital."
"That right" Metal Bat put on his jacket easily before speaking "I'm heading to the Hero Association, you coming with?"
Tank Top Master smiled "of course."
"Master!"
"Brother!"
The two S-Class heroes turned to their respective companions.
"We want to go with you!" yelled Tank Top Vegetarian the second-in-command of the group.
"No, the rest of you stay on standby and be ready to move out just in case" Tank Top Master shouted.
"But sir…" Tank Top Girl began only to be silenced by a raised hand.
"I understand that you're all eager to get back into the thick of it but there's a time and a place. Given how many monsters attacked during the initial invasion they must have hundreds more members at their headquarters. While I and the other S-Class are at the Monster Association the rest of you will assist in rescue efforts and taking care of any stragglers, am I understood?"
"Yes Master!" they chorused.
Meanwhile Bad took his sister aside and kneeled before her "I have to go Zenko."
The girl did not look enthused by this. It's not as if Zenko was not aware of the inherent problems with his work as a hero but she did not like it. In fact she absolutely hated it, the violence and having to worry about his safety. It's the reason why he promised never to do anything violent when in her presence. Meeting him after that fight with that weirdo was just a reminder of all the things she despised about her brother being a hero.
At the same time Zenko wasn't so selfish or ignorant that she would bar him from doing it either. Her brother is strong and he uses that strength to protect people and beat monsters which is a way more productive use than beating up other delinquents in street fights.
So with that in mind Zenko nodded stiffly "fine, but you have to promise to come back safe!"
In response he smirked "who do you think I am?"
"An idiot who tried to take on that big monster even though you couldn't even take a hit from me" she answered fuming.
Bad only ruffled her hair in response much to her chagrin yet she didn't stop it.
He did stop when Tank Top Master started approaching and with a nod the two S-Class heroes left the hospital to join the battle.
~To Be Continued~
Author's Notes: Next chapter is available on my Patreon at: www.Patreon.com/Streggaeworks
Last edited:
Chapter 23
Between the mass layoff of staff by Solaria, the Hero Hunter taking out most of the A-Class roster and the Monster Association incapacitating the rest of their numbers, these past few days has seen the Hero Association at its most desperate. To aid in supporting the strike force the S-Class were told that they would be selecting only heroes who would be optimal to support them during the raid. There was truth in this of course as there are heroes with special abilities and skills that would best aid in fulfilling the objectives laid out by Child Emperor. On the other hand they only accounted for a small number of the support group and even then some weren't necessarily Sitch's first pick.
Then there were the other members of the support group which ideally should consist of powerful heroes to serve as a last line of defense for any stragglers that might escape from the assault by the S-Class. Unfortunately because of Garou and the initial invasion of the Monster Association they lost most of their fighting force. Mercifully thanks to the mysterious 'Tomoro Sazaki' Sitch was spared from just selecting whatever heroes managed to survive the week long onslaught which consisted primarily of B-Class heroes of reasonable strength and C-Class heroes who kept a low enough profile or were just lucky.
Truly seeing the heroes who participated in the failed ambush against Garou (which consisted of A-Class heroes) healed and combat ready was a relief. It made the situation just a bit less desperate but that did not mean he was confident in their chances especially if any of the stronger monsters managed to slip past the S-Class. It did not help that it was a scenario that was highly possible given the notes he read about the layout of the Monster Association base provided by Child Emperor earlier that morning.
Overall the situation was most unfavorable however he could do nothing but grit his teeth, hope for the best and maintain confidence that the S-Class would be able to handle the brunt of the enemy forces. However just as he was going down to meet the support heroes and debrief them Sekingar received a call. Sitch all but ignored it as he mulled over the present situation however his subordinate's reaction caught him off guard. He knew Sekingar to be a man of focus and calm professionalism so to see him react in such a spirited way meant that whatever was said on the other line of that call was definitely news of worth.
Then the man proclaimed a miracle to have occurred and urged them to wait a while longer before beginning the debriefing. Naturally Sitch demanded an explanation and after collecting himself Sekingar reported the information that was relayed to him. What Sekingar explained to him indeed sounded like a miracle but despite all his experience with all the frankly fantastical elements of his job he knew better especially when they were not too long ago discussing a certain healer.
All in all it didn't necessarily take long for their transport to arrive. The group of heroes boarded the two helicopters or rather the two S-Class heroes boarded one while the rest were crammed in the other. Metal Bat rolled his eyes but didn't complain since he'd rather not share a small space with Tank Top Master's eccentric followers. He could only take so much talk about tank tops before he started bashing skulls in. The helicopter they boarded didn't wait for the other before it took off at breakneck speeds.
During the trip the two S-Class heroes made small talk mostly speculating on the upcoming battle with the Monster Association and whether or not they would make it before their fellow S-Class started. They also had a long discussion about Garou when Metal Bat brought him up in a fit of anger. Both heroes were defeated by him and had strong feelings about the Hero Hunter. Metal Bat of course wanted a rematch sighting how unfavorable the conditions were for him during their initial encounter and vowed to take him out the next time they meet.
Tank Top Master was more mature about it. He recognized the mistakes he made during their initial encounter and while he also wanted another shot at the Hero hunter though silently recognized he was unlikely to eke out a victory. More training will be required before he was comfortable enough to pursue that. They arrived at the Hero Association HQ within minutes of their takeoff and Metal Bat didn't wait for the copter to touch down before dropping out. Tank Top Master followed suit and the two S-Class heroes were greeted by a small group consisting of Sitch, another member of staff and lower ranked heroes the latter of who looked at them with surprise and awe.
The two S-Class heroes paid little attention to their fellow gawking heroes as they were met in the middle by Sitch.
"Metal Bat, Tank Top Master I'm glad to see you both on your feet."
"Sitch" Tank Top Master greeted before turning to the other man.
"This is Sekingar" Sitch introduced "he'll be acting as commander of the rescue mission."
"Yeah, yeah" Metal Bat grunted impatiently "are we late? Where is everybody?"
By that he meant the other S-Class heroes.
Sekingar took the dismissal in stride as he spoke "the other S-Class heroes are currently holding a strategy meeting. You two might be able to make it before it ends."
With that said the two S-Class heroes left Sitch and Sekingar whose attentions were then taken by the arrival of the other cargo copters. The two S-Class heroes made their way through the familiar halls in silence until they came upon the conference room. Opening the door they were met with a sight that was both familiar and oddly surprising.
Moments Before…
The Hero Association staff members who had been on standby to assist the S-Class with whatever they needed (mostly taking food orders from Pig God) had excused themselves from the room a while ago and for good reason. When they first came to this meeting the gathered heroes were all confident in their ability to take down the Monster Association. The main and really only shared worry had been whether or not they would be able to find and save the hostage. Other than that they ever truly factored failure in the overall objective as there wasn't a single person in the room who felt threatened by the monsters they would face.
At least that was the case until now.
"That's the last of them" Child Emperor finished with a grim expression.
No one really acknowledged his words as each hero present were wrapped in their own thoughts. Child Emperor had just finished his presentation on the Monster Association executive members, potential executive members and leadership all of whom were comprised of actual and potential Dragon level monsters. With each monster presented the overall countenance of the room became just a bit dourer as they became aware of what exactly the Monster Association had in store for them.
There was not a hero in the room who wasn't affected. From the usually jovially optimistic Darkshine to the neutrally calculating Flashy Flashy, from the arrogant Tatsumaki to even the indifferent Saitama everyone was deeply considering the information that was presented to them. As a result the tension in the room was so heavy one could cut it with a knife. The only one who wasn't affected was Child Emperor and only by virtue of being privy to the information already.
He already had time to ruminate on the information…after getting through half his candy stash in a stress induced eating frenzy. It actually turned out to be a good thing Tatsumaki forced him to go to sleep because he might have spent all night stressing over this one thing. Child Emperor gave them time to digest but ultimately they were still burning daylight and before he could get everyone's attention the doors opened revealing two familiar faces.
Metal Bat and Tank Top Master entered the room with the latter muttering "sorry for the intrusion."
"Metal Bat? Tank Top Master?" exclaimed Child Emperor.
"Heard you two got done in by the Hero Hunter" Atomic Samurai.
"We did" Tank Top Master admitted with a frown but otherwise seemed unbothered.
Before anymore could be said Metal Bat yelled out "what the hell is he doing here!?"
The hero eyed Amai Mask who had so far been lost in thought as he leaned forward with his elbows on the table and fingers entwined and, unbeknownst to the others, gripped so tightly it subtly shook. Whatever had occupied the top ranked A-Class hero's mind he set it aside for the time being to glance at the newly arrived Metal Bat.
"Oh you're here" his eyes drifted to the other new arrival who had taken the empty seat next to him "and you too."
"Oi, answer the question. What are you doing here? And what are you doing in my seat?"
"Mr. Amai Mask is here to-" Child Emperor began only to be cut off by the man himself.
"I am here to lead this rescue mission" Amai Mask spoke as he slowly stood up. The idol hero being slightly taller than the delinquent hero looked down at him.
'And here we go' Child Emperor sighed as Amai Mask's declaration drew reactions from most of the gathered and none of them were positive.
"Huuh?" Metal Bat gave a drawn out thuggish grunt as he regarded the man.
Flashy Flash raised an unimpressed eyebrow while the others were either indifferent or unwilling to show or voice their discontent with that.
"Excuse you?" Tatsumaki glared "the only reason why we're even tolerating your presence is because you'd kick up a fuss with the executives who're going to be annoying after this."
Tatsumaki pretty much nailed the hammer right on the head of Child Emperor's thoughts. It's a shame that she was summarily ignored as Amai Mask turned to Child Emperor the decided upon leader of the assault team.
"Is there a problem?
"Us under your command? I didn't know being a comedian was one of your talents" Zombieman blew out a cloud of smoke "if it's the credit you want then you can have mine so long as you follow Child Emperor's orders. We're about to face the greatest threat to the world we've ever seen so we can't afford to be bogged down by petty dissention."
Amai Mask glared at him for a moment "I've always wondered something about you Zombieman, why can't you die?"
"…" the undying hero remained silent not even deigning to acknowledge the question.
Turning fully away from the still fuming Metal Bat he brought his full attention to the other S-Class hero "you were accepted into the S-Class based purely on your combat ability but you rarely ever use it. Most of your time is spent on mundane investigations and frequent enquiries into the underworld. You seem to have a specific obsession with the House Of Evolution and its leader Dr. Genus yet when you finally encounter him he somehow slipped away. I find that to be highly suspicious. Can we really consider you an ally?"
"Hey stop provoking him" Darkshine chastised with a frown "we're all on the same side here."
Amai Mask seemingly ignored Darkshine as his glare lingered on Zombieman for a bit "it is clear to me that none of you have the experience" his sharp golden eyes turned to Child Emperor who couldn't help but cringe slightly, his own insecurities about his leadership position flashing through his mind "or the intelligence to lead this mission" his gaze went back to Metal Bat.
At the insult levied against him an angry vein formed on Metal Bat's forehead as his hand gripped his namesake weapon tightly.
"Someone needs to remind this pretty boy who he's messing with here."
"I believe I have a pretty good idea of who I'm dealing with" Amai Mask replied sharply and the bloodlust wafting off him reached a crescendo "you're the weakling who not only failed to protect Miss Nova but also got defeated by the Hero Hunter. If anyone's presence needs to be questioned here it's yours."
That right there seemed to be the last straw as Metal Bat tensed, his weapon shifted, the tension was laid on thick enough to be a metaphorical smog and even Amai Mask himself shifted his weight ready to intercept an attack.
"Oi, that's enough! We don't have time for this right now" Atomic Samurai interrupted sternly.
"Metal Bat" the hero turned to Silver Fang who continued "master yourself and take a seat."
His words seem to actually have an effect as whatever action the delinquent hero was about to take never came and in a show of surprising restraint he took in a calming breath closing his eyes as he did. Once he opened them again Amai Mask had to blink at the sheer indifference within them.
"You ain't worth it."
He then took his seat (which happened to be the one Amai Mask had previously occupied) and kicked his feet up on the table. Metal Bat no longer even acknowledged the A-Class hero's presence as he scowled staring at nothing in particular while his thoughts remained a mystery to even the most astute observer.
'This is exactly the kind of thing I wanted to avoid.'
That being Amai mask making a fuss by throwing his nonexistent weight around.
"N-now Mr. Amai Mask" Child Emperor began carefully yet sternly "as much as we…appreciate your willingness to accompany us on this assault I think your presence in the Monster Association HQ would hinder us in our mission."
"Excuse me?" the idol hero spoke with an edge.
"What are you stupid and deaf?" Tatsumaki chimed in with a bored yet annoyed expression "you're a pain in the ass, nobody likes you and none of us wants to babysit you while we're doing the mission."
Again Tatsumaki was ignored by Amai Mask who leveled his gaze at Child Emperor "I understand that you're the tactician Child Emperor but there is nothing wrong with utilizing my leadership skills here."
For his part Child Emperor took the lollipop out of his mouth to address his fellow hero with all the seriousness the situation is due.
"I know you mean well Mr. Amai Mask but I think those leadership skills would best be served topside with the support heroes."
The idol hero's brows furrowed in consternation at the child's words as he gave his own answer "I will not be kept away from this mission."
"Then prove it."
Amai Mask and everyone else turned to Flashy Flash "what was that?"
"You keep harping on about how you are at the level of S-Class and even go so far as to think you can lead us. Prove to us that you can actually keep up before expecting us to follow your lead."
"…I will gladly do that" Amai Mask answered and some veins can visibly be seen sprouting from under the collar of his shirt "are you volunteering?"
"…" Flashy Flash said nothing and did nothing as he responded to Amai Mask's bloodlust with his own.
"So hey…"
The two words spoken casually with a bored tone cut through the tension like hot knife through butter startling everyone present. Even the heroes whose senses are always on high alert felt some degree of startling as they realized what everyone else has come to realize. Somehow everyone present to some degree has forgotten that One-Punch Man was even present.
It wasn't the first time that this has happened. For someone who is revered as the strongest man in the world Saitama has the presence of a generic background character most of the time. If not for the fact that the Hero Association has gone out of their way to market him heavily along with the other S-Class thus making his appearance and especially his bald head iconic then people would never believe him to even be a pro hero let alone n the S-Class and certainly not the strongest man in the world.
Even his fellow S-Class found that aspect of him to be uncanny. Despite all of their eccentricities there remains an undisputed fact that in this group of the most elite heroes in the association all of them have a presence. Even Child Emperor the most naturally inconspicuous hero amongst them had a certain aura about him that people would immediately pick up on after spending time in his presence.
The same cannot be said for One-Punch Man whose presence seems to meld into the background like wall paint. That by no means implies he cannot make his presence known when the fancy strikes him.
Such as right now…
"We've been here for a while now" the man continued "can we wrap this up and get going already?"
The sentiment was shared by everyone in the room though for his part Amai Mask found himself staring at One-Punch Man. Amai Mask had a very…let's say complicated relationship with the bald man. The sequence of events that would lead him to first encountering One-Punch Man started the year when he first joined the Hero Association. Unlike the rest he had bigger ambitions than to just be another hero, he wanted a say in the operations as well. To that end along with doing all the typical hero work he also leveraged his then budding idol career in talks with the executives to help appeal to a larger audience and secure more funds through donations.
His work not only propelled him up the rankings but also secured him an advisory role when it came to managing and especially marketing the heroes themselves. Through his vision the Hero Association was able to successfully market their heroes to the public. He managed to market most of the reticent S-Class to varying success since some of them fought him seemingly every step of the way. The thing about it was that all of the other S-Class heroes had something of note that he could use to appeal to a target demographic.
Darkshine and Tank Top Master are big figures in the body builder community.
The same can be said for Silver Fang and Atomic Samurai in the martial arts community.
Watchdog Man is a mascot hero for kids.
Child Emperor is the embodiment of every kid's greatest dream of being hero.
Metal Knight provides weaponry for the Hero Association and military to protect the public and along with Drive Knight has a merchandise potential for being an android and cyborg respectfully.
Flashy Flash practically shares the same fanbase as Amai Mask for being a brooding pretty boy and ninja.
Tatsumaki has a dedicated fan club with some members who have particular tastes.
Puri Puri Prisoner has the LGBT appeal for being the only openly gay S-Class hero.
Metal Bat has the Bancho appeal.
Blast is already the most prolific hero in the world whose legend eclipses all others.
Hell even Pig God has the appeal of the plus size community.
Then there was One-Punch Man who was far from the man he is today. Back then he actually had hair and didn't wear a costume, rather he fought crime in a plain tracksuit and the less said about his personality the better. In short the man was a marketing nightmare for Amai Mask who up until then was able to use an angle with the other S-Class to successfully market them.
One-Punch Man did not have anything that Amai Mask could use to successfully market him to the public. For all intents One-Punch Man was just a regular guy in a tracksuit which would be fine for lower class heroes but certainly not for the S-Class. In any case Amai Mask ended up confronting him about it and urged him to make a change that would at least make him stand out. He didn't think the conversation went anywhere until a few days later when the man shaved his head and started wearing that yellow jumpsuit. Going from a 'salary man in a tracksuit' to a 'bald man in a yellow jumpsuit' was jarring and definitely made him stand out but not in the good way.
Amai Mask remembered thinking the suit itself was the most god awful thing he's ever seen, a true crime against fashion. So offended he was with it that he ended up confronting One-Punch Man yet again and dropped any pretense civility. A lot of things were said, most of it in anger but One-Punch Man didn't seem to care about his opinion or the opinion of the executives. It wasn't necessarily anything new to Amai Mask when dealing with the S-Class at that point but something about the bald man rubbed him the wrong way.
He would make several more attempts at changing the man each failing more miserably than the last. Amai Mask was eventually at his wits end with One-Punch man and even once thought to petition him to get bumped off the S-Class roster. That all changed however when a giant cicada monster attacked the city he happened to be in. None of the other S-Class heroes were available and Amai Mask thought he would have had to do something drastic to stop it.
Then out of nowhere One-Punch Man swooped in and destroyed the monster in a single blow. That was the first time he had ever witnessed him in action. It's one thing to read reports or see a low resolution video of his feats but nothing compared to actually seeing it. From that day forward Amai Mask paid closer attention to how the man operated and after several weeks came to a conclusion. One-Punch Man embodied everything that is both right and wrong with heroes by Amai Mask's standards.
On the one hand Amai Mask found his strength to be perfection and his conviction in his duties as a hero to be exemplary beyond any of the other S-Class. When he is given a task or mission One-Punch Man does not hesitate, does not question, does not banter or dally he simply does.
There is a caveat however in that while his personal strength and conviction as a hero are solid this perfection is ultimately marred by the man's everything else. Outside of his incredible strength One-Punch Man has the dullest most uninspired personality of any hero Amai Mask had ever met which is truly saying something. How someone can be toted as the strongest man in the world and come off so boring as a person truly baffles him.
Still his lackadaisical attitude is betrayed by his execution of his duties which has only grown more efficient as time ent by. Even his personality eventually saw a shift and in practically no time at all since he initially saw him in action One-Punch Man would become the third individual Amai Mask considered being the ideal when it came to being a hero. With this newfound perspective he was able to retool his marketing campaign to focus more on the hero's actions as opposed to his personality.
It didn't take long after for One-Punch to become a legendary figure on par with the likes of Blast. Amai Mask kept a special eye on One-Punch Man the entire time following his exploits very closely and the more he did the more he couldn't help but respect him. He wasn't the only one either as the moment he spoke Amai Mask could see all present perk up to cast their undivided attention on him. Even Tatsumaki the most obstinate and arrogant hero present couldn't help but turn her head and listen to the man as he spoke.
It was obvious to him that One-Punch Man's words and opinion held weight which was why Amai Mask went a different route
"Saitama" he said knowing the man preferred to be addressed by his given name.
"Yeah?"
"Surely someone of your esteem would see the benefit of having someone with actual leadership experience leading this assault right?"
"I guess?" he edged unsure.
"Then you will agree that I should be the one to do it."
There were a lot of scowls directed his way at that but Amai Mask ignored them. They didn't matter, all that matters was One-Punch Man's opinion.
Unfortunately for the Idol hero he would be disappointed by the bald man's answer "eh not really, besides Child Emperor is the leader."
Amai Mask bristled but did not give up so easily "Child Emperor doesn't have the experience."
"He'll figure it out, he's a genius and an S-Class like the rest of us…well mostly I guess" he added looking at the none S-Class heroes in the room including Amai Mask himself.
"But…" Amai Mask added only to trail off when One-Punch looked to Child Emperor himself
"Child Emperor will do fine, I trust him."
In response Child Emperor actually sputtered "t-thank you One-Punch Man…sir" he added only to cringe in embarrassment at acting like the child he is.
"I see" Amai Mask said graciously though it was clear for the most observant to see the disappointment in his eyes which became resolute a moment later as he added "but I will be accompanying you into the base during the assault" Amai Mask added
"Sure why not" One-Punch Man shrugged.
"Are you freaking kidding me!?" Tatsumaki yelled and Metal Bat looked in agreement.
"He's just some A-Class idol hero wannabe" the delinquent hero added.
"I don't see what the problem is" Saitama said honestly "isn't it better to have more of us in there so we can find hostage faster?"
"And if he gets himself killed?" Tatsumaki asked.
"It'll be fine, he looks like he can handle himself" Saitama said after a brief look at Amai Mask who nodded gratefully at the bald hero.
"Ugh" Tatsumaki threw her hands "whatever but when you get in over your head don't go expecting me to rescue you."
And with that said Child Emperor finally resumed the meeting to go over the last item on the agenda for this meeting, the actual infiltration.
A place where it was all but confirmed housed monsters that are on par with or even surpass Gouketsu. The mere thought of that monster was enough to send a spike of fear down Suiryu's spine. He did not show this fear however, if only to soothe his pride and keep a bit of integrity in the face of his sister.
"You're worried aren't you?"
Well so much for that.
He sighed "that obvious?"
"Pretty obvious yeah" Suiko said with a shrug.
'Why do I even bother?'
"Heh, glad I'm not the only one nervous here" Suiko once again cut through his thoughts and he glanced at her "
"You're nervous?"
"Of course I am!" Suiko exclaimed and for the first time he could see the anxiousness both on her face and in her body language.
'How did I miss that?'
Suiko being able to read him like a book wasn't an exclusive skill between the two of them. They've known each other all their lives and have been trained in high level martial arts for most of that time. Of course they would be able to pick up on each other's emotional state which makes it all the more upsetting to him. So worried he was about what ifs that he failed to pick up on his sister's own anxiousness.
'I bet seeing me like this isn't doing her any favors'
"Hey it's going to be alright, if nothing else I'm sure Master Sazaki will protect us."
Suiko scowled at him though the expression didn't have any heat "I hate that you're in the same boat as me now. I wanted to complain and nag you about how unfair it is that you're a genius and stronger than me."
Ah, so the regular sibling banter they used to have when paired together.
"Yeah I hate it too."
He wished he could be that fearless and confident man who could stare men and monsters in the face and laugh at their attempts to fight him. The thought was only fleeting however as if he was being honest he wouldn't actually want to be that person again if given the chance. Fearless and confident he may have been but he was also arrogant and ignorant something he didn't need in the upcoming battle.
The siblings arrived at the apartment and immediately noticed that all the windows were blown out which put the duo somewhat on edge. With a silent glance at each other the two ascended to the second floor to the room where the two had that gathering the night before. Suiryu knocked on the door only to not receive the answer after which he opened it with an apology. He needn't bothered since the apartment was completely barren of any people, furniture or appliance.
"They're not here."
The two siblings turned to see the monster from last night leaning against the doorframe of the room next to the one they stood at.
"Where are they?" Suiko questioned.
"One-Punch Man went the Hero Association and Tomoro is carrying the moving truck to storage."
"Wait they actually went with the carrying the truck thing?"
"…yes" the monster drawled "Tomoro said he'll be here soon so you can wait around I suppose."
She went to go back inside when Suiryu called out "hey."
Pausing at the door her pale red eyes turned to him with an annoyance that was reflected in her voice "what?"
"I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Suiryu, this is my sister Suiko" he introduced earning an even deeper furrow of her brow.
Suiryu then yelped as Suiko pulled on his ear and whisper hissed "what are you doing!?"
"What do you mean?"
"She's a monster?"
"So?"
"Your sister has a point" said monster spoke now no longer halfway through the door but standing out in the hallway proper "I am a monster so what exactly are you hoping to gain by making nice with me?"
Suddenly Suiko pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned out "please tell me you're not trying to flirt with her."
That got a quirk of her eyebrow from the monster woman and her countenance turned to sardonic amusement as the man sputtered in disbelief.
"You know I've always known there were some humans who are actually into that sort of thing but I figured them to be a certain kind."
"Alright that's enough!" Suiryu yelled with a tic mark before he turned to his sibling "first off I wasn't trying to flirt with her. Why would you even think that?"
In response Suiko gave an exaggerated shrug along with a carefree smile that was eerily reminiscent of himself "eh, it seemed like something you would do."
"Well it's not!"
"And here I was feeling flattered" the two siblings turned to the monster girl who adopted a faux expression of hurt "but now you've gone and hurt my feelings."
Then her expression abruptly changed into something sultry before she adopted a provocative pose that even in her conservative dress and shirt managed to emphasize her figure and the fact that the top three buttons of her dress shirt were undone.
"What's the matter? Don't you think I'm pretty~?" she asked in a husky tone while fluttering her eyes at him.
Both Suiryu and Suiko could only look at the shameless display in shock with the latter shaking off her surprise first. Blinking back from that mini stupor she turned to her older sibling who continued to stare and her brows furrowed.
"You can't be serious, I was kidding!" she exclaimed.
Far from what his staring may initially imply Suiryu wasn't really admiring Do-S. Maybe because not only does she look human enough but was also aiding them in taking down the Monster Association and didn't act like any monster he's ever met (though such encounters weren't many to begin with) that in a strange twist actually took the question posed a little seriously than he ought to have.
'Just fix her eyes, get rid of the mask and that heart emblem on her forehead and she would look…'
His thoughts on the matter culminated in a simple "huh."
Do-S for her part had grown just a bit annoyed and weary that her tactic to throw them off for her own amusement hadn't worked. She'd rather break out her whips but she wouldn't dare assault two people who Tomoro seemed to have great interest in. With the confrontation to come and her place in the conflict looming over her head creating more pressure and increasing her stress she could only resort to messing with a pair of humans for her own amusement.
Except her attempt had fallen flat or so she thought when the only response she could get from the man was a thoughtful look and a simple grunt as an answer.
Then he surprised her with his next words "now that I think about it, yeah."
Caught off guard from her own thoughts and the eclipse of time she could only blink "what?"
"I said yes, I think you're pretty."
"Seriously?"
"I'd go so far as to call you beautiful" he added with emphasis.
His sister's words of disbelief was barely out of her mouth before Do-S ripped off her face mask exposing her wide mouth with crack-like abrasions around the corners. The corners of her lips stretched eerily in a too wide slasher smile that exposed her numerous shark-like teeth.
"Do you think I'm pretty now?"
Suiko startled a bit at the display if only due to how abrupt it was but Suiryu remained unfazed as he answered "if you run at me with a pair of scissors I will put you down."
Do-S could only look at the man with an expression that was one part befuddlement as she uttered a single word in response "what?"
Suiko looked just as perplexed "what are you talking about?"
"Don't you remember that one urban legend?"
It took a moment however Suiko did eventually realize what he was talking about before her gaze snapped to Do-S and she let out a guffaw "oh my God she really is like that urban legend!"
"Right?" Suiryu grinned.
Do-S scowled as the pair of siblings started laughing. She had no idea why they were laughing as the reference escaped her but that didn't matter much because all she knew was that they were laughing at her.
"Grr"
In a flash of anger a whip materialized in her right hand the action causing both siblings to put a pause on the jovialities. That was all they managed to do before Do-S swung her whip at the source of her ire.
Heart ♡ Hard ♡ Hit!
Multiple slashes let loose at the pair however to her immense shock however Suiryu easily and deftly caught the whip before it could hit Suiko. Or rather before it could hit where Suiko had previously been since the girl had already dodged before it even could have landed properly. The girl looked as if she was gearing up for an attack only to be barred by her brother who kept his steely gaze upon her.
This broke the monster out of her enraged state as she stared wide eyed at the two 'w-what?'
Attempting to pull the whip out of his grasp became a lesson in futility as Suiryu's hand was like an immovable object that did not budge a single bit.
'How is he so strong? He's not even a…hero…' her mind trailed off.
That's when the pressure hit on her instincts even as clarity reached her mind. She remembered that these two aren't just two random humans. They were invited by Tomoro Sazaki to take part in a strategy meeting, were also very familiar with Silver Fang and if her memory serves Suiryu was present when Tomoro killed Gouketsu. But most importantly she remembered Tomoro half handedly mention that Suiryu was easily an S-Class level fighter.
Do-S is a monster who knew her limits and she knew for a fact that she could not take on any of the S-Class in a straight up fight. And here she was attacking someone who is said to be at that level and judging by look of it things that allegation appears to hold some truth to it. With that thought in mind self preservation kicked in but before Do-S could let go of her whip and plead for her life she was thankfully spared the indignity.
"I'm glad to see you all getting along with each other" drawled a familiar voice.
All three jumped at the voice and turned to find Tomoro Sazaki standing behind Do-S leaning against doorframe of his former room.
"Master Sazaki" Suiko greeted with Suiryu following along discarding the hip in his hand.
Do-S pulled her weapon back with a simple flick of her wrist "h-how long have you been standing there?"
"Don't worry about it."
'Now I'm very worried.'
"By the way, I also think you're pretty."
"Pfft!" Suiko snickered in her hand.
Do-S flushed but it was a genuine tossup as to whether it was in anger or embarrassment.
"You…" she started glaring at him but Tomoro was unsurprisingly unaffected by her ire so with a frustrated shriek the monster stomped into her own room and slammed the door shut with unnecessary force leaving the three alone.
After a moment Suiko broke the silence "so…what's your relationship with her?"
Tomoro looked to the young martial artists then to the door Do-S disappeared behind and ultimately shook his head.
"That…" he paused shaking his head "I don't even know anymore."
When things went quiet everyone assumed Rover had taken care of the intruder however it didn't take too long for an even bigger commotion to get started. This time it came from the Monster King's throne room which also acted as a gathering point for meetings. Naturally a few monsters got curious as to what was happening, they were never heard from again as all paths leading to the area were completely blocked off. This only seemed to substantiate the rumors that the Monster King was fighting someone.
At the moment the identity of Lord Orochi's opponent is a choice between: the intruder from earlier who would have somehow gotten away from Rover, a Cadre looking to challenge him for the title of monster king or a new prospect that needed to be put in their place. In any case the fact that anyone would even think to pick a fight with the monster king spoke of two things.
Either this person was a fool or actually a very powerful monster.
Garou smashed into the wall adding another crater however he was unfazed by this and springboard leapt himself to the ground just as a concentrated beam of fire engulfed his previous position. He didn't stop to take a breather, there was no time for that and he hardly needed it anymore and instead started running. He barely began to get going before he was intercepted by several horn tendrils. They had gotten faster and more numerous compared to when they first started.
Garou ran up the side of the walls deftly outmaneuvering the omnidirectional horn spears ultimately gaining even more speed until he shot himself towards the self proclaimed king of monsters with his fist cocked back. The leader of the Monster Association met his attack with one in kind. When their fists met a shockwave like a crack of thunder resounded shaking the room.
*BOOM*
Despite not being fazed by the attack Orochi's body was pushed back by the force of Garou's attack his massive frame sinking into a crater.
"HRM?"
Garou gave a shark-like grin, an apt comparison considering he just smelled blood in the water.
Meanwhile on the sidelines Gyoro Gyoro's eyes widened in utter shock "Lord Orochi was moved!?"
Having been spectating the battle with rapt attention this wasn't the first time that the two have clashed. For reasons she could only assume to be psychological warfare Orochi had assumed and maintained a humanoid form. Not only that but he also did not use most of his unique monster abilities save for his horn ability and only metamorphosed his arms into dragons. Both these abilities he uses for mid to long range attacks. In lieu of not using his monster abilities Orochi has been fighting using mostly martial arts.
One would think that with the size disparity between them the battle would have favored Garou yet despite the deliberate handicap he put himself in Orochi was not at all losing this battle, he was winning. Gyoro Gyoro could tell immediately that Garou has never fought or even conceived that he would ever face another genius martial artist of the same caliber as himself. Gyoro Gyoro thought the young man would, after exhausting all his techniques and tricks, would succumb to despair knowing that he is outclassed in every way after which Orochi would deliver the coup de grace.
Gyoro Gyoro had little doubt Orochi thought the same thing and at first things seemed to have been going that way. Once again the Monster Association's tactician will give the boy credit, he is a genius, a creative one and very tenacious. Unfortunately for him even discounting the fact that Orochi is also martial arts genius the monster king is also just naturally more powerful than him. Still the psychic watched on, content in knowing that with every show of his creativity and tenaciousness Orochi will also benefit and grow even stronger through observation alone.
Things started to go awry however when instead of slowing down Garou only seemed to speed up. It wasn't so much desperation than it was…progression. That's when Gyoro Gyoro realized she underestimated the boy yet again on several counts. The first was the belief that Orochi would be the only one to benefit from this exchange for while the monster king used Garou as fodder the same could be said for Garou using Orochi as fodder for his own growth.
Earlier Gyoro Gyoro seeing as Garou could regenerate through consumption blocked off the path to the arena so no more monsters would wander in. Despite the absence of material however Garou's injuries continued to regenerate and the rate only increased with time. The only reason why he wasn't fully hale was due to how negligible his healing factor is and the fact that Orochi were putting it through its paces with mounting inflicted injuries.
'He's continued to evolve even as he fought.'
Psykos is a firm believer that using carefully applied physical trauma will always bear fruit when it came to monsterfication. Yet during her research she has never seen such dynamic continuous change happen in the middle of a battle.
Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!
WATER STREAM ROCK SMASHING FIST!
Then as the two of them resumed their battle using a peculiar martial art he knew to have been created by Silver Fang Gyoro Gyoro could not help but feel excitement.
'He's actually doing it.'
After so many exchanges Garou was finally started to gain traction against Orochi even if said traction was negligible and ultimately didn't matter due to Orochi holding back most of his power it still spoke volumes that Garou was able to come so far after mere partial transformation.
'And yet, it is not enough' he thought with a sigh of disappointment as Garou once again lost the exchange.
Not only was Garou currently nowhere strong enough for Orochi to take him serious but even at his current rate of growth he won't be for quite some time. And unfortunately for him they were currently on a timetable so this needed to be wrapped up.
So Gyoro Gyoro spoke up loudly "Lord Orochi I'm afraid we still need to prepare for the arrival of the heroes so would you kindly finish this up?"
Orochi gave no indication or acknowledgement that he even heard him seeing as how Garou had resorted to hit and run pinball tactics. The half monster was practically a frenzied blur of movement even he could hardly keep up with yet Orochi kept pace easily whilst countering every attempt made at hitting him. Suddenly without warning Orochi's hand moved, swatting Garou out of the air like a gnat.
His attempt at recovering became stymied by a literal horde of serpentine dragons. Now that Orochi was no longer holding back the dragons managed to successfully swarm Garou from all sides. The half monster tried his hardest to defend and deflect before giving up altogether to attempt to charge his way through the swarm. Before he could however the serpents added fire blasts to burn him even as they incapacitated him.
"RAAH!"
With beastial roar Garou managed to break free and charge only to be hit with all of Orochi's horns and slammed back into the wall. Even with one horn speared through both hands, legs and two in his chest pinning him to the wall Garou still struggled. While still pinning him down Orochi's humanoid mouth opened transforming his head and a concentrated blast of fire erupted bathing the half monster in a devastating blast of fire and destruction.
By the end of it there was veritable tunnel in the stone wall which was made with special reinforced material.
"I think you overdid it Lord Orochi" Gyoro Gyoro couldn't help but comment as he plodded forward toward the hole.
Orochi merely shifting back to the humanoid shape then watched on silently as Gyoro Gyoro used his psychic power to remove the debris and unearthed the blackened, unmoving but still alive body of Garou. As he did he couldn't help but go over the entire battle and marvel at the fact that he was not only able to last as long as he did against Orochi but that he did so under an incomplete monster transformation.
Incomplete not in the sense that he wasn't physically a monster yet because he was though Gyoro Gyoro had the feeling that his physical transformation can be furthered yet. No the incompleteness actually stems from his emotions and instincts. For all that Garou has an incredible lust for battle and desire to dominate those strictly speaking are not exclusively traits of a monster.
'You're still clinging to your humanity aren't you?' Gyoro Gyoro thought.
In a way he could understand why that seems to be case, after all for a human to willingly take on the epithet of monster and challenge the Hero Association they would need strong conviction. And with Garou his aims are beyond just defeating the Hero Association, beyond merely ruling as a monster king, he wanted to be a symbol of fear.
"Absolute Evil huh?" he muttered before chuckling to himself "sounds doable."
'Of course I'll have to thoroughly brainwash him but given his resilience thus far I won't have enough time before the hero Association arrives.'
Luckily they have a powerful telepath in their employ who is a deft hand at brainwashing.
A very simplified version of the plan was to just send in the S-Class heroes and seal all entrances save for one. After they find and rescue the hostage they will proceed to destroy the Monster Association from within. It's a plan that didn't need a large fighting force but a small tactical one, basically quality over quantity.
Explaining this to the gathered heroes caused some commotion as most of them were expecting to storm the base alongside the S-Class. To add fuel to the fire some of the heroes already picked for the team were swapped out for some of the new arrivals. Luckily before things could reach a boiling point Sekingar managed to calmly has out a compromise with the heroes that would be left behind. They will be kept in reserve to patrol the vicinity just outside the abandoned town in groups looking for any stragglers or just in case the support team needed reinforcements.
This seemed to mollify the lot of them though Sitch himself can't say that a scenario like that would happen. Tatsumaki was very insistent that she destroyed the base in its entirety along with that entire abandoned section after Solaria is rescued. The executives were quick to agree and it wasn't wholly due to how insistent the esper was. Sitch himself would have liked to send people into the base to see if they could gather some kind of information on the inner workings of the Monster Association.
This is the first instance in recorded history of various monsters working together as an organized group especially on such a scale. And with the Monster Association operating on such a scale there is bound to be a cache data down there somewhere. The reason for this became apparent to Sitch as he as forwarded the highlights of the S-Class meetings. Turns out the Monster Association wasn't working alone and has managed to forge relationships with several criminal organizations including the now defunct House Of Evolution, Tsukuyomi and The Organization.
"We're ready to go sir" one of the staff members called out causing Sekingar and Sitch to pause reading the tablets.
"This is it" Sekingar noted with a tone of finality.
"Godspeed Sekingar."
"Sir" he acknowledged with a stiff nod and marched out to the cargo chopper.
Sitch watched them take off along with the heroes who were left behind.
'I hope this works.'
Meanwhile with the restored heroes the Blizzard Group executives had been the only A-Class heroes not to make a fuss about not being chosen to accompany the strike force. For once even Needle Star was in agreement that what they were about to do was more important than gaining any kind of points with the top brass. It wasn't an easy thing to essentially sit out on such an opportunity and they were questioned by their subordinates on why they didn't at least try to get on that strike force.
Glasses has elected to give a reasonably enough answer though they were more surprised that Needle Star kept quiet. Then there was the moment Tatsumaki entered the room and it was all some of their members could take not say or do something, anything. Tatsumaki herself didn't seem to have any issues with them, after all she only glanced at them only once and she was just as dismissive of their presence as she was with almost everyone present. This was a good thing in Glasses' opinion as the less interaction between them the less Tatsumaki will figure out their plans.
As they watched the helicopters leave he turned to Eyelashes who gave a nod of confirmation.
"Make the call."
From there it's been a mad dash to see what he's changed and compare notes. Safe to say that now I have two copies of the same chapters with vastly different outcomes. I've decided to reflect my predicament onto Tomoro. So he's read the original draws for the manga and knows nothing about the redraws which happened some time after he died. So he's working off faulty/incomplete information in an already very divergent timeline.
So this is all to say bear with me these next couple of chapters because it's going to be a straight up rollercoaster ride once the battles start. One more chapter to go where I put the final pieces on the board before that though and if you want to read it early check out my Patreon at: www.Patreon.com/Streggaeworks
Then there were the other members of the support group which ideally should consist of powerful heroes to serve as a last line of defense for any stragglers that might escape from the assault by the S-Class. Unfortunately because of Garou and the initial invasion of the Monster Association they lost most of their fighting force. Mercifully thanks to the mysterious 'Tomoro Sazaki' Sitch was spared from just selecting whatever heroes managed to survive the week long onslaught which consisted primarily of B-Class heroes of reasonable strength and C-Class heroes who kept a low enough profile or were just lucky.
Truly seeing the heroes who participated in the failed ambush against Garou (which consisted of A-Class heroes) healed and combat ready was a relief. It made the situation just a bit less desperate but that did not mean he was confident in their chances especially if any of the stronger monsters managed to slip past the S-Class. It did not help that it was a scenario that was highly possible given the notes he read about the layout of the Monster Association base provided by Child Emperor earlier that morning.
Overall the situation was most unfavorable however he could do nothing but grit his teeth, hope for the best and maintain confidence that the S-Class would be able to handle the brunt of the enemy forces. However just as he was going down to meet the support heroes and debrief them Sekingar received a call. Sitch all but ignored it as he mulled over the present situation however his subordinate's reaction caught him off guard. He knew Sekingar to be a man of focus and calm professionalism so to see him react in such a spirited way meant that whatever was said on the other line of that call was definitely news of worth.
Then the man proclaimed a miracle to have occurred and urged them to wait a while longer before beginning the debriefing. Naturally Sitch demanded an explanation and after collecting himself Sekingar reported the information that was relayed to him. What Sekingar explained to him indeed sounded like a miracle but despite all his experience with all the frankly fantastical elements of his job he knew better especially when they were not too long ago discussing a certain healer.
~O~
Metal Bat and Tank Top Master were fully expecting to make their own way to the Hero Association HQ on foot. So imagine their surprise when they, along with the other heroes who were leaving the building were instead called back by the hospital staff and told to wait for pickup. The only issue Metal Bat found with that request was that it messed up cool exit alongside Tank Top Master as he was forced to abort the journey and instead wait at the hospital. Silver lining, at least he got to spend just a little bit more time with Zenko.
All in all it didn't necessarily take long for their transport to arrive. The group of heroes boarded the two helicopters or rather the two S-Class heroes boarded one while the rest were crammed in the other. Metal Bat rolled his eyes but didn't complain since he'd rather not share a small space with Tank Top Master's eccentric followers. He could only take so much talk about tank tops before he started bashing skulls in. The helicopter they boarded didn't wait for the other before it took off at breakneck speeds.
During the trip the two S-Class heroes made small talk mostly speculating on the upcoming battle with the Monster Association and whether or not they would make it before their fellow S-Class started. They also had a long discussion about Garou when Metal Bat brought him up in a fit of anger. Both heroes were defeated by him and had strong feelings about the Hero Hunter. Metal Bat of course wanted a rematch sighting how unfavorable the conditions were for him during their initial encounter and vowed to take him out the next time they meet.
Tank Top Master was more mature about it. He recognized the mistakes he made during their initial encounter and while he also wanted another shot at the Hero hunter though silently recognized he was unlikely to eke out a victory. More training will be required before he was comfortable enough to pursue that. They arrived at the Hero Association HQ within minutes of their takeoff and Metal Bat didn't wait for the copter to touch down before dropping out. Tank Top Master followed suit and the two S-Class heroes were greeted by a small group consisting of Sitch, another member of staff and lower ranked heroes the latter of who looked at them with surprise and awe.
The two S-Class heroes paid little attention to their fellow gawking heroes as they were met in the middle by Sitch.
"Metal Bat, Tank Top Master I'm glad to see you both on your feet."
"Sitch" Tank Top Master greeted before turning to the other man.
"This is Sekingar" Sitch introduced "he'll be acting as commander of the rescue mission."
"Yeah, yeah" Metal Bat grunted impatiently "are we late? Where is everybody?"
By that he meant the other S-Class heroes.
Sekingar took the dismissal in stride as he spoke "the other S-Class heroes are currently holding a strategy meeting. You two might be able to make it before it ends."
With that said the two S-Class heroes left Sitch and Sekingar whose attentions were then taken by the arrival of the other cargo copters. The two S-Class heroes made their way through the familiar halls in silence until they came upon the conference room. Opening the door they were met with a sight that was both familiar and oddly surprising.
Moments Before…
The Hero Association staff members who had been on standby to assist the S-Class with whatever they needed (mostly taking food orders from Pig God) had excused themselves from the room a while ago and for good reason. When they first came to this meeting the gathered heroes were all confident in their ability to take down the Monster Association. The main and really only shared worry had been whether or not they would be able to find and save the hostage. Other than that they ever truly factored failure in the overall objective as there wasn't a single person in the room who felt threatened by the monsters they would face.
At least that was the case until now.
"That's the last of them" Child Emperor finished with a grim expression.
No one really acknowledged his words as each hero present were wrapped in their own thoughts. Child Emperor had just finished his presentation on the Monster Association executive members, potential executive members and leadership all of whom were comprised of actual and potential Dragon level monsters. With each monster presented the overall countenance of the room became just a bit dourer as they became aware of what exactly the Monster Association had in store for them.
There was not a hero in the room who wasn't affected. From the usually jovially optimistic Darkshine to the neutrally calculating Flashy Flashy, from the arrogant Tatsumaki to even the indifferent Saitama everyone was deeply considering the information that was presented to them. As a result the tension in the room was so heavy one could cut it with a knife. The only one who wasn't affected was Child Emperor and only by virtue of being privy to the information already.
He already had time to ruminate on the information…after getting through half his candy stash in a stress induced eating frenzy. It actually turned out to be a good thing Tatsumaki forced him to go to sleep because he might have spent all night stressing over this one thing. Child Emperor gave them time to digest but ultimately they were still burning daylight and before he could get everyone's attention the doors opened revealing two familiar faces.
Metal Bat and Tank Top Master entered the room with the latter muttering "sorry for the intrusion."
"Metal Bat? Tank Top Master?" exclaimed Child Emperor.
"Heard you two got done in by the Hero Hunter" Atomic Samurai.
"We did" Tank Top Master admitted with a frown but otherwise seemed unbothered.
Before anymore could be said Metal Bat yelled out "what the hell is he doing here!?"
The hero eyed Amai Mask who had so far been lost in thought as he leaned forward with his elbows on the table and fingers entwined and, unbeknownst to the others, gripped so tightly it subtly shook. Whatever had occupied the top ranked A-Class hero's mind he set it aside for the time being to glance at the newly arrived Metal Bat.
"Oh you're here" his eyes drifted to the other new arrival who had taken the empty seat next to him "and you too."
"Oi, answer the question. What are you doing here? And what are you doing in my seat?"
"Mr. Amai Mask is here to-" Child Emperor began only to be cut off by the man himself.
"I am here to lead this rescue mission" Amai Mask spoke as he slowly stood up. The idol hero being slightly taller than the delinquent hero looked down at him.
'And here we go' Child Emperor sighed as Amai Mask's declaration drew reactions from most of the gathered and none of them were positive.
"Huuh?" Metal Bat gave a drawn out thuggish grunt as he regarded the man.
Flashy Flash raised an unimpressed eyebrow while the others were either indifferent or unwilling to show or voice their discontent with that.
"Excuse you?" Tatsumaki glared "the only reason why we're even tolerating your presence is because you'd kick up a fuss with the executives who're going to be annoying after this."
Tatsumaki pretty much nailed the hammer right on the head of Child Emperor's thoughts. It's a shame that she was summarily ignored as Amai Mask turned to Child Emperor the decided upon leader of the assault team.
"Is there a problem?
"Us under your command? I didn't know being a comedian was one of your talents" Zombieman blew out a cloud of smoke "if it's the credit you want then you can have mine so long as you follow Child Emperor's orders. We're about to face the greatest threat to the world we've ever seen so we can't afford to be bogged down by petty dissention."
Amai Mask glared at him for a moment "I've always wondered something about you Zombieman, why can't you die?"
"…" the undying hero remained silent not even deigning to acknowledge the question.
Turning fully away from the still fuming Metal Bat he brought his full attention to the other S-Class hero "you were accepted into the S-Class based purely on your combat ability but you rarely ever use it. Most of your time is spent on mundane investigations and frequent enquiries into the underworld. You seem to have a specific obsession with the House Of Evolution and its leader Dr. Genus yet when you finally encounter him he somehow slipped away. I find that to be highly suspicious. Can we really consider you an ally?"
"Hey stop provoking him" Darkshine chastised with a frown "we're all on the same side here."
Amai Mask seemingly ignored Darkshine as his glare lingered on Zombieman for a bit "it is clear to me that none of you have the experience" his sharp golden eyes turned to Child Emperor who couldn't help but cringe slightly, his own insecurities about his leadership position flashing through his mind "or the intelligence to lead this mission" his gaze went back to Metal Bat.
At the insult levied against him an angry vein formed on Metal Bat's forehead as his hand gripped his namesake weapon tightly.
"Someone needs to remind this pretty boy who he's messing with here."
"I believe I have a pretty good idea of who I'm dealing with" Amai Mask replied sharply and the bloodlust wafting off him reached a crescendo "you're the weakling who not only failed to protect Miss Nova but also got defeated by the Hero Hunter. If anyone's presence needs to be questioned here it's yours."
That right there seemed to be the last straw as Metal Bat tensed, his weapon shifted, the tension was laid on thick enough to be a metaphorical smog and even Amai Mask himself shifted his weight ready to intercept an attack.
"Oi, that's enough! We don't have time for this right now" Atomic Samurai interrupted sternly.
"Metal Bat" the hero turned to Silver Fang who continued "master yourself and take a seat."
His words seem to actually have an effect as whatever action the delinquent hero was about to take never came and in a show of surprising restraint he took in a calming breath closing his eyes as he did. Once he opened them again Amai Mask had to blink at the sheer indifference within them.
"You ain't worth it."
He then took his seat (which happened to be the one Amai Mask had previously occupied) and kicked his feet up on the table. Metal Bat no longer even acknowledged the A-Class hero's presence as he scowled staring at nothing in particular while his thoughts remained a mystery to even the most astute observer.
'This is exactly the kind of thing I wanted to avoid.'
That being Amai mask making a fuss by throwing his nonexistent weight around.
"N-now Mr. Amai Mask" Child Emperor began carefully yet sternly "as much as we…appreciate your willingness to accompany us on this assault I think your presence in the Monster Association HQ would hinder us in our mission."
"Excuse me?" the idol hero spoke with an edge.
"What are you stupid and deaf?" Tatsumaki chimed in with a bored yet annoyed expression "you're a pain in the ass, nobody likes you and none of us wants to babysit you while we're doing the mission."
Again Tatsumaki was ignored by Amai Mask who leveled his gaze at Child Emperor "I understand that you're the tactician Child Emperor but there is nothing wrong with utilizing my leadership skills here."
For his part Child Emperor took the lollipop out of his mouth to address his fellow hero with all the seriousness the situation is due.
"I know you mean well Mr. Amai Mask but I think those leadership skills would best be served topside with the support heroes."
The idol hero's brows furrowed in consternation at the child's words as he gave his own answer "I will not be kept away from this mission."
"Then prove it."
Amai Mask and everyone else turned to Flashy Flash "what was that?"
"You keep harping on about how you are at the level of S-Class and even go so far as to think you can lead us. Prove to us that you can actually keep up before expecting us to follow your lead."
"…I will gladly do that" Amai Mask answered and some veins can visibly be seen sprouting from under the collar of his shirt "are you volunteering?"
"…" Flashy Flash said nothing and did nothing as he responded to Amai Mask's bloodlust with his own.
"So hey…"
The two words spoken casually with a bored tone cut through the tension like hot knife through butter startling everyone present. Even the heroes whose senses are always on high alert felt some degree of startling as they realized what everyone else has come to realize. Somehow everyone present to some degree has forgotten that One-Punch Man was even present.
It wasn't the first time that this has happened. For someone who is revered as the strongest man in the world Saitama has the presence of a generic background character most of the time. If not for the fact that the Hero Association has gone out of their way to market him heavily along with the other S-Class thus making his appearance and especially his bald head iconic then people would never believe him to even be a pro hero let alone n the S-Class and certainly not the strongest man in the world.
Even his fellow S-Class found that aspect of him to be uncanny. Despite all of their eccentricities there remains an undisputed fact that in this group of the most elite heroes in the association all of them have a presence. Even Child Emperor the most naturally inconspicuous hero amongst them had a certain aura about him that people would immediately pick up on after spending time in his presence.
The same cannot be said for One-Punch Man whose presence seems to meld into the background like wall paint. That by no means implies he cannot make his presence known when the fancy strikes him.
Such as right now…
"We've been here for a while now" the man continued "can we wrap this up and get going already?"
The sentiment was shared by everyone in the room though for his part Amai Mask found himself staring at One-Punch Man. Amai Mask had a very…let's say complicated relationship with the bald man. The sequence of events that would lead him to first encountering One-Punch Man started the year when he first joined the Hero Association. Unlike the rest he had bigger ambitions than to just be another hero, he wanted a say in the operations as well. To that end along with doing all the typical hero work he also leveraged his then budding idol career in talks with the executives to help appeal to a larger audience and secure more funds through donations.
His work not only propelled him up the rankings but also secured him an advisory role when it came to managing and especially marketing the heroes themselves. Through his vision the Hero Association was able to successfully market their heroes to the public. He managed to market most of the reticent S-Class to varying success since some of them fought him seemingly every step of the way. The thing about it was that all of the other S-Class heroes had something of note that he could use to appeal to a target demographic.
Darkshine and Tank Top Master are big figures in the body builder community.
The same can be said for Silver Fang and Atomic Samurai in the martial arts community.
Watchdog Man is a mascot hero for kids.
Child Emperor is the embodiment of every kid's greatest dream of being hero.
Metal Knight provides weaponry for the Hero Association and military to protect the public and along with Drive Knight has a merchandise potential for being an android and cyborg respectfully.
Flashy Flash practically shares the same fanbase as Amai Mask for being a brooding pretty boy and ninja.
Tatsumaki has a dedicated fan club with some members who have particular tastes.
Puri Puri Prisoner has the LGBT appeal for being the only openly gay S-Class hero.
Metal Bat has the Bancho appeal.
Blast is already the most prolific hero in the world whose legend eclipses all others.
Hell even Pig God has the appeal of the plus size community.
Then there was One-Punch Man who was far from the man he is today. Back then he actually had hair and didn't wear a costume, rather he fought crime in a plain tracksuit and the less said about his personality the better. In short the man was a marketing nightmare for Amai Mask who up until then was able to use an angle with the other S-Class to successfully market them.
One-Punch Man did not have anything that Amai Mask could use to successfully market him to the public. For all intents One-Punch Man was just a regular guy in a tracksuit which would be fine for lower class heroes but certainly not for the S-Class. In any case Amai Mask ended up confronting him about it and urged him to make a change that would at least make him stand out. He didn't think the conversation went anywhere until a few days later when the man shaved his head and started wearing that yellow jumpsuit. Going from a 'salary man in a tracksuit' to a 'bald man in a yellow jumpsuit' was jarring and definitely made him stand out but not in the good way.
Amai Mask remembered thinking the suit itself was the most god awful thing he's ever seen, a true crime against fashion. So offended he was with it that he ended up confronting One-Punch Man yet again and dropped any pretense civility. A lot of things were said, most of it in anger but One-Punch Man didn't seem to care about his opinion or the opinion of the executives. It wasn't necessarily anything new to Amai Mask when dealing with the S-Class at that point but something about the bald man rubbed him the wrong way.
He would make several more attempts at changing the man each failing more miserably than the last. Amai Mask was eventually at his wits end with One-Punch man and even once thought to petition him to get bumped off the S-Class roster. That all changed however when a giant cicada monster attacked the city he happened to be in. None of the other S-Class heroes were available and Amai Mask thought he would have had to do something drastic to stop it.
Then out of nowhere One-Punch Man swooped in and destroyed the monster in a single blow. That was the first time he had ever witnessed him in action. It's one thing to read reports or see a low resolution video of his feats but nothing compared to actually seeing it. From that day forward Amai Mask paid closer attention to how the man operated and after several weeks came to a conclusion. One-Punch Man embodied everything that is both right and wrong with heroes by Amai Mask's standards.
On the one hand Amai Mask found his strength to be perfection and his conviction in his duties as a hero to be exemplary beyond any of the other S-Class. When he is given a task or mission One-Punch Man does not hesitate, does not question, does not banter or dally he simply does.
There is a caveat however in that while his personal strength and conviction as a hero are solid this perfection is ultimately marred by the man's everything else. Outside of his incredible strength One-Punch Man has the dullest most uninspired personality of any hero Amai Mask had ever met which is truly saying something. How someone can be toted as the strongest man in the world and come off so boring as a person truly baffles him.
Still his lackadaisical attitude is betrayed by his execution of his duties which has only grown more efficient as time ent by. Even his personality eventually saw a shift and in practically no time at all since he initially saw him in action One-Punch Man would become the third individual Amai Mask considered being the ideal when it came to being a hero. With this newfound perspective he was able to retool his marketing campaign to focus more on the hero's actions as opposed to his personality.
It didn't take long after for One-Punch to become a legendary figure on par with the likes of Blast. Amai Mask kept a special eye on One-Punch Man the entire time following his exploits very closely and the more he did the more he couldn't help but respect him. He wasn't the only one either as the moment he spoke Amai Mask could see all present perk up to cast their undivided attention on him. Even Tatsumaki the most obstinate and arrogant hero present couldn't help but turn her head and listen to the man as he spoke.
It was obvious to him that One-Punch Man's words and opinion held weight which was why Amai Mask went a different route
"Saitama" he said knowing the man preferred to be addressed by his given name.
"Yeah?"
"Surely someone of your esteem would see the benefit of having someone with actual leadership experience leading this assault right?"
"I guess?" he edged unsure.
"Then you will agree that I should be the one to do it."
There were a lot of scowls directed his way at that but Amai Mask ignored them. They didn't matter, all that matters was One-Punch Man's opinion.
Unfortunately for the Idol hero he would be disappointed by the bald man's answer "eh not really, besides Child Emperor is the leader."
Amai Mask bristled but did not give up so easily "Child Emperor doesn't have the experience."
"He'll figure it out, he's a genius and an S-Class like the rest of us…well mostly I guess" he added looking at the none S-Class heroes in the room including Amai Mask himself.
"But…" Amai Mask added only to trail off when One-Punch looked to Child Emperor himself
"Child Emperor will do fine, I trust him."
In response Child Emperor actually sputtered "t-thank you One-Punch Man…sir" he added only to cringe in embarrassment at acting like the child he is.
"I see" Amai Mask said graciously though it was clear for the most observant to see the disappointment in his eyes which became resolute a moment later as he added "but I will be accompanying you into the base during the assault" Amai Mask added
"Sure why not" One-Punch Man shrugged.
"Are you freaking kidding me!?" Tatsumaki yelled and Metal Bat looked in agreement.
"He's just some A-Class idol hero wannabe" the delinquent hero added.
"I don't see what the problem is" Saitama said honestly "isn't it better to have more of us in there so we can find hostage faster?"
"And if he gets himself killed?" Tatsumaki asked.
"It'll be fine, he looks like he can handle himself" Saitama said after a brief look at Amai Mask who nodded gratefully at the bald hero.
"Ugh" Tatsumaki threw her hands "whatever but when you get in over your head don't go expecting me to rescue you."
And with that said Child Emperor finally resumed the meeting to go over the last item on the agenda for this meeting, the actual infiltration.
~O~
Every martial artist worth his training knew the benefits of a good rest especially before a huge battle. Suiryu was no different of course however even if logic dictates that he rest for the night sleep eluded him. The lack of sleep wasn't a particular problem and wouldn't really affect his combat effectiveness but it spoke volumes of how he felt about the current situation. Through pressures brought on by his own sibling as well as his martial pride he took up Tomoro's offer to aid them in infiltrating the Monster Association headquarters.
A place where it was all but confirmed housed monsters that are on par with or even surpass Gouketsu. The mere thought of that monster was enough to send a spike of fear down Suiryu's spine. He did not show this fear however, if only to soothe his pride and keep a bit of integrity in the face of his sister.
"You're worried aren't you?"
Well so much for that.
He sighed "that obvious?"
"Pretty obvious yeah" Suiko said with a shrug.
'Why do I even bother?'
"Heh, glad I'm not the only one nervous here" Suiko once again cut through his thoughts and he glanced at her "
"You're nervous?"
"Of course I am!" Suiko exclaimed and for the first time he could see the anxiousness both on her face and in her body language.
'How did I miss that?'
Suiko being able to read him like a book wasn't an exclusive skill between the two of them. They've known each other all their lives and have been trained in high level martial arts for most of that time. Of course they would be able to pick up on each other's emotional state which makes it all the more upsetting to him. So worried he was about what ifs that he failed to pick up on his sister's own anxiousness.
'I bet seeing me like this isn't doing her any favors'
"Hey it's going to be alright, if nothing else I'm sure Master Sazaki will protect us."
Suiko scowled at him though the expression didn't have any heat "I hate that you're in the same boat as me now. I wanted to complain and nag you about how unfair it is that you're a genius and stronger than me."
Ah, so the regular sibling banter they used to have when paired together.
"Yeah I hate it too."
He wished he could be that fearless and confident man who could stare men and monsters in the face and laugh at their attempts to fight him. The thought was only fleeting however as if he was being honest he wouldn't actually want to be that person again if given the chance. Fearless and confident he may have been but he was also arrogant and ignorant something he didn't need in the upcoming battle.
The siblings arrived at the apartment and immediately noticed that all the windows were blown out which put the duo somewhat on edge. With a silent glance at each other the two ascended to the second floor to the room where the two had that gathering the night before. Suiryu knocked on the door only to not receive the answer after which he opened it with an apology. He needn't bothered since the apartment was completely barren of any people, furniture or appliance.
"They're not here."
The two siblings turned to see the monster from last night leaning against the doorframe of the room next to the one they stood at.
"Where are they?" Suiko questioned.
"One-Punch Man went the Hero Association and Tomoro is carrying the moving truck to storage."
"Wait they actually went with the carrying the truck thing?"
"…yes" the monster drawled "Tomoro said he'll be here soon so you can wait around I suppose."
She went to go back inside when Suiryu called out "hey."
Pausing at the door her pale red eyes turned to him with an annoyance that was reflected in her voice "what?"
"I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Suiryu, this is my sister Suiko" he introduced earning an even deeper furrow of her brow.
Suiryu then yelped as Suiko pulled on his ear and whisper hissed "what are you doing!?"
"What do you mean?"
"She's a monster?"
"So?"
"Your sister has a point" said monster spoke now no longer halfway through the door but standing out in the hallway proper "I am a monster so what exactly are you hoping to gain by making nice with me?"
Suddenly Suiko pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned out "please tell me you're not trying to flirt with her."
That got a quirk of her eyebrow from the monster woman and her countenance turned to sardonic amusement as the man sputtered in disbelief.
"You know I've always known there were some humans who are actually into that sort of thing but I figured them to be a certain kind."
"Alright that's enough!" Suiryu yelled with a tic mark before he turned to his sibling "first off I wasn't trying to flirt with her. Why would you even think that?"
In response Suiko gave an exaggerated shrug along with a carefree smile that was eerily reminiscent of himself "eh, it seemed like something you would do."
"Well it's not!"
"And here I was feeling flattered" the two siblings turned to the monster girl who adopted a faux expression of hurt "but now you've gone and hurt my feelings."
Then her expression abruptly changed into something sultry before she adopted a provocative pose that even in her conservative dress and shirt managed to emphasize her figure and the fact that the top three buttons of her dress shirt were undone.
"What's the matter? Don't you think I'm pretty~?" she asked in a husky tone while fluttering her eyes at him.
Both Suiryu and Suiko could only look at the shameless display in shock with the latter shaking off her surprise first. Blinking back from that mini stupor she turned to her older sibling who continued to stare and her brows furrowed.
"You can't be serious, I was kidding!" she exclaimed.
Far from what his staring may initially imply Suiryu wasn't really admiring Do-S. Maybe because not only does she look human enough but was also aiding them in taking down the Monster Association and didn't act like any monster he's ever met (though such encounters weren't many to begin with) that in a strange twist actually took the question posed a little seriously than he ought to have.
'Just fix her eyes, get rid of the mask and that heart emblem on her forehead and she would look…'
His thoughts on the matter culminated in a simple "huh."
Do-S for her part had grown just a bit annoyed and weary that her tactic to throw them off for her own amusement hadn't worked. She'd rather break out her whips but she wouldn't dare assault two people who Tomoro seemed to have great interest in. With the confrontation to come and her place in the conflict looming over her head creating more pressure and increasing her stress she could only resort to messing with a pair of humans for her own amusement.
Except her attempt had fallen flat or so she thought when the only response she could get from the man was a thoughtful look and a simple grunt as an answer.
Then he surprised her with his next words "now that I think about it, yeah."
Caught off guard from her own thoughts and the eclipse of time she could only blink "what?"
"I said yes, I think you're pretty."
"Seriously?"
"I'd go so far as to call you beautiful" he added with emphasis.
His sister's words of disbelief was barely out of her mouth before Do-S ripped off her face mask exposing her wide mouth with crack-like abrasions around the corners. The corners of her lips stretched eerily in a too wide slasher smile that exposed her numerous shark-like teeth.
"Do you think I'm pretty now?"
Suiko startled a bit at the display if only due to how abrupt it was but Suiryu remained unfazed as he answered "if you run at me with a pair of scissors I will put you down."
Do-S could only look at the man with an expression that was one part befuddlement as she uttered a single word in response "what?"
Suiko looked just as perplexed "what are you talking about?"
"Don't you remember that one urban legend?"
It took a moment however Suiko did eventually realize what he was talking about before her gaze snapped to Do-S and she let out a guffaw "oh my God she really is like that urban legend!"
"Right?" Suiryu grinned.
Do-S scowled as the pair of siblings started laughing. She had no idea why they were laughing as the reference escaped her but that didn't matter much because all she knew was that they were laughing at her.
"Grr"
In a flash of anger a whip materialized in her right hand the action causing both siblings to put a pause on the jovialities. That was all they managed to do before Do-S swung her whip at the source of her ire.
Heart ♡ Hard ♡ Hit!
Multiple slashes let loose at the pair however to her immense shock however Suiryu easily and deftly caught the whip before it could hit Suiko. Or rather before it could hit where Suiko had previously been since the girl had already dodged before it even could have landed properly. The girl looked as if she was gearing up for an attack only to be barred by her brother who kept his steely gaze upon her.
This broke the monster out of her enraged state as she stared wide eyed at the two 'w-what?'
Attempting to pull the whip out of his grasp became a lesson in futility as Suiryu's hand was like an immovable object that did not budge a single bit.
'How is he so strong? He's not even a…hero…' her mind trailed off.
That's when the pressure hit on her instincts even as clarity reached her mind. She remembered that these two aren't just two random humans. They were invited by Tomoro Sazaki to take part in a strategy meeting, were also very familiar with Silver Fang and if her memory serves Suiryu was present when Tomoro killed Gouketsu. But most importantly she remembered Tomoro half handedly mention that Suiryu was easily an S-Class level fighter.
Do-S is a monster who knew her limits and she knew for a fact that she could not take on any of the S-Class in a straight up fight. And here she was attacking someone who is said to be at that level and judging by look of it things that allegation appears to hold some truth to it. With that thought in mind self preservation kicked in but before Do-S could let go of her whip and plead for her life she was thankfully spared the indignity.
"I'm glad to see you all getting along with each other" drawled a familiar voice.
All three jumped at the voice and turned to find Tomoro Sazaki standing behind Do-S leaning against doorframe of his former room.
"Master Sazaki" Suiko greeted with Suiryu following along discarding the hip in his hand.
Do-S pulled her weapon back with a simple flick of her wrist "h-how long have you been standing there?"
"Don't worry about it."
'Now I'm very worried.'
"By the way, I also think you're pretty."
"Pfft!" Suiko snickered in her hand.
Do-S flushed but it was a genuine tossup as to whether it was in anger or embarrassment.
"You…" she started glaring at him but Tomoro was unsurprisingly unaffected by her ire so with a frustrated shriek the monster stomped into her own room and slammed the door shut with unnecessary force leaving the three alone.
After a moment Suiko broke the silence "so…what's your relationship with her?"
Tomoro looked to the young martial artists then to the door Do-S disappeared behind and ultimately shook his head.
"That…" he paused shaking his head "I don't even know anymore."
~O~
At this point the entire Monster Association Base was aware that there was an intruder. What they were still unaware of is exactly who that intruder was on account of anyone who came across said intruder ended up dead. Another thing they were aware of was that said intruder came across Overgrown Rover. That particular battle could be felt by a large percentage of the Monster Association due to its location being the general communal area of the sprawling network.
When things went quiet everyone assumed Rover had taken care of the intruder however it didn't take too long for an even bigger commotion to get started. This time it came from the Monster King's throne room which also acted as a gathering point for meetings. Naturally a few monsters got curious as to what was happening, they were never heard from again as all paths leading to the area were completely blocked off. This only seemed to substantiate the rumors that the Monster King was fighting someone.
At the moment the identity of Lord Orochi's opponent is a choice between: the intruder from earlier who would have somehow gotten away from Rover, a Cadre looking to challenge him for the title of monster king or a new prospect that needed to be put in their place. In any case the fact that anyone would even think to pick a fight with the monster king spoke of two things.
Either this person was a fool or actually a very powerful monster.
~O~
*Crash*
Garou smashed into the wall adding another crater however he was unfazed by this and springboard leapt himself to the ground just as a concentrated beam of fire engulfed his previous position. He didn't stop to take a breather, there was no time for that and he hardly needed it anymore and instead started running. He barely began to get going before he was intercepted by several horn tendrils. They had gotten faster and more numerous compared to when they first started.
Garou ran up the side of the walls deftly outmaneuvering the omnidirectional horn spears ultimately gaining even more speed until he shot himself towards the self proclaimed king of monsters with his fist cocked back. The leader of the Monster Association met his attack with one in kind. When their fists met a shockwave like a crack of thunder resounded shaking the room.
*BOOM*
Despite not being fazed by the attack Orochi's body was pushed back by the force of Garou's attack his massive frame sinking into a crater.
"HRM?"
Garou gave a shark-like grin, an apt comparison considering he just smelled blood in the water.
Meanwhile on the sidelines Gyoro Gyoro's eyes widened in utter shock "Lord Orochi was moved!?"
Having been spectating the battle with rapt attention this wasn't the first time that the two have clashed. For reasons she could only assume to be psychological warfare Orochi had assumed and maintained a humanoid form. Not only that but he also did not use most of his unique monster abilities save for his horn ability and only metamorphosed his arms into dragons. Both these abilities he uses for mid to long range attacks. In lieu of not using his monster abilities Orochi has been fighting using mostly martial arts.
One would think that with the size disparity between them the battle would have favored Garou yet despite the deliberate handicap he put himself in Orochi was not at all losing this battle, he was winning. Gyoro Gyoro could tell immediately that Garou has never fought or even conceived that he would ever face another genius martial artist of the same caliber as himself. Gyoro Gyoro thought the young man would, after exhausting all his techniques and tricks, would succumb to despair knowing that he is outclassed in every way after which Orochi would deliver the coup de grace.
Gyoro Gyoro had little doubt Orochi thought the same thing and at first things seemed to have been going that way. Once again the Monster Association's tactician will give the boy credit, he is a genius, a creative one and very tenacious. Unfortunately for him even discounting the fact that Orochi is also martial arts genius the monster king is also just naturally more powerful than him. Still the psychic watched on, content in knowing that with every show of his creativity and tenaciousness Orochi will also benefit and grow even stronger through observation alone.
Things started to go awry however when instead of slowing down Garou only seemed to speed up. It wasn't so much desperation than it was…progression. That's when Gyoro Gyoro realized she underestimated the boy yet again on several counts. The first was the belief that Orochi would be the only one to benefit from this exchange for while the monster king used Garou as fodder the same could be said for Garou using Orochi as fodder for his own growth.
Earlier Gyoro Gyoro seeing as Garou could regenerate through consumption blocked off the path to the arena so no more monsters would wander in. Despite the absence of material however Garou's injuries continued to regenerate and the rate only increased with time. The only reason why he wasn't fully hale was due to how negligible his healing factor is and the fact that Orochi were putting it through its paces with mounting inflicted injuries.
'He's continued to evolve even as he fought.'
Psykos is a firm believer that using carefully applied physical trauma will always bear fruit when it came to monsterfication. Yet during her research she has never seen such dynamic continuous change happen in the middle of a battle.
Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!
WATER STREAM ROCK SMASHING FIST!
Then as the two of them resumed their battle using a peculiar martial art he knew to have been created by Silver Fang Gyoro Gyoro could not help but feel excitement.
'He's actually doing it.'
After so many exchanges Garou was finally started to gain traction against Orochi even if said traction was negligible and ultimately didn't matter due to Orochi holding back most of his power it still spoke volumes that Garou was able to come so far after mere partial transformation.
'And yet, it is not enough' he thought with a sigh of disappointment as Garou once again lost the exchange.
Not only was Garou currently nowhere strong enough for Orochi to take him serious but even at his current rate of growth he won't be for quite some time. And unfortunately for him they were currently on a timetable so this needed to be wrapped up.
So Gyoro Gyoro spoke up loudly "Lord Orochi I'm afraid we still need to prepare for the arrival of the heroes so would you kindly finish this up?"
Orochi gave no indication or acknowledgement that he even heard him seeing as how Garou had resorted to hit and run pinball tactics. The half monster was practically a frenzied blur of movement even he could hardly keep up with yet Orochi kept pace easily whilst countering every attempt made at hitting him. Suddenly without warning Orochi's hand moved, swatting Garou out of the air like a gnat.
His attempt at recovering became stymied by a literal horde of serpentine dragons. Now that Orochi was no longer holding back the dragons managed to successfully swarm Garou from all sides. The half monster tried his hardest to defend and deflect before giving up altogether to attempt to charge his way through the swarm. Before he could however the serpents added fire blasts to burn him even as they incapacitated him.
"RAAH!"
With beastial roar Garou managed to break free and charge only to be hit with all of Orochi's horns and slammed back into the wall. Even with one horn speared through both hands, legs and two in his chest pinning him to the wall Garou still struggled. While still pinning him down Orochi's humanoid mouth opened transforming his head and a concentrated blast of fire erupted bathing the half monster in a devastating blast of fire and destruction.
By the end of it there was veritable tunnel in the stone wall which was made with special reinforced material.
"I think you overdid it Lord Orochi" Gyoro Gyoro couldn't help but comment as he plodded forward toward the hole.
Orochi merely shifting back to the humanoid shape then watched on silently as Gyoro Gyoro used his psychic power to remove the debris and unearthed the blackened, unmoving but still alive body of Garou. As he did he couldn't help but go over the entire battle and marvel at the fact that he was not only able to last as long as he did against Orochi but that he did so under an incomplete monster transformation.
Incomplete not in the sense that he wasn't physically a monster yet because he was though Gyoro Gyoro had the feeling that his physical transformation can be furthered yet. No the incompleteness actually stems from his emotions and instincts. For all that Garou has an incredible lust for battle and desire to dominate those strictly speaking are not exclusively traits of a monster.
'You're still clinging to your humanity aren't you?' Gyoro Gyoro thought.
In a way he could understand why that seems to be case, after all for a human to willingly take on the epithet of monster and challenge the Hero Association they would need strong conviction. And with Garou his aims are beyond just defeating the Hero Association, beyond merely ruling as a monster king, he wanted to be a symbol of fear.
"Absolute Evil huh?" he muttered before chuckling to himself "sounds doable."
'Of course I'll have to thoroughly brainwash him but given his resilience thus far I won't have enough time before the hero Association arrives.'
Luckily they have a powerful telepath in their employ who is a deft hand at brainwashing.
~O~
Sitch couldn't help but marvel at the turnout. Just this morning they were understaffed and desperate to find heroes to send on a mission that was likely suicide should anything go wrong. Now they had a not insignificant chunk of the A-Class back along with other heroes. It wasn't enough in Sitch's opinion still but at least they would be able to send better equipped heroes. Unfortunately this did bring up a problem in that the plan didn't really account for a large fighting force on their part.
A very simplified version of the plan was to just send in the S-Class heroes and seal all entrances save for one. After they find and rescue the hostage they will proceed to destroy the Monster Association from within. It's a plan that didn't need a large fighting force but a small tactical one, basically quality over quantity.
Explaining this to the gathered heroes caused some commotion as most of them were expecting to storm the base alongside the S-Class. To add fuel to the fire some of the heroes already picked for the team were swapped out for some of the new arrivals. Luckily before things could reach a boiling point Sekingar managed to calmly has out a compromise with the heroes that would be left behind. They will be kept in reserve to patrol the vicinity just outside the abandoned town in groups looking for any stragglers or just in case the support team needed reinforcements.
This seemed to mollify the lot of them though Sitch himself can't say that a scenario like that would happen. Tatsumaki was very insistent that she destroyed the base in its entirety along with that entire abandoned section after Solaria is rescued. The executives were quick to agree and it wasn't wholly due to how insistent the esper was. Sitch himself would have liked to send people into the base to see if they could gather some kind of information on the inner workings of the Monster Association.
This is the first instance in recorded history of various monsters working together as an organized group especially on such a scale. And with the Monster Association operating on such a scale there is bound to be a cache data down there somewhere. The reason for this became apparent to Sitch as he as forwarded the highlights of the S-Class meetings. Turns out the Monster Association wasn't working alone and has managed to forge relationships with several criminal organizations including the now defunct House Of Evolution, Tsukuyomi and The Organization.
"We're ready to go sir" one of the staff members called out causing Sekingar and Sitch to pause reading the tablets.
"This is it" Sekingar noted with a tone of finality.
"Godspeed Sekingar."
"Sir" he acknowledged with a stiff nod and marched out to the cargo chopper.
Sitch watched them take off along with the heroes who were left behind.
'I hope this works.'
Meanwhile with the restored heroes the Blizzard Group executives had been the only A-Class heroes not to make a fuss about not being chosen to accompany the strike force. For once even Needle Star was in agreement that what they were about to do was more important than gaining any kind of points with the top brass. It wasn't an easy thing to essentially sit out on such an opportunity and they were questioned by their subordinates on why they didn't at least try to get on that strike force.
Glasses has elected to give a reasonably enough answer though they were more surprised that Needle Star kept quiet. Then there was the moment Tatsumaki entered the room and it was all some of their members could take not say or do something, anything. Tatsumaki herself didn't seem to have any issues with them, after all she only glanced at them only once and she was just as dismissive of their presence as she was with almost everyone present. This was a good thing in Glasses' opinion as the less interaction between them the less Tatsumaki will figure out their plans.
As they watched the helicopters leave he turned to Eyelashes who gave a nod of confirmation.
"Make the call."
~To Be Continued~
Author's Notes: As we draw closer to the inevitable storm that is the Monster Association Arc I find myself having to put serious consideration on the various individual moving parts because for those of you who don't know this is arc where Murata went on a redraw spree. Why does this matter? I have downloaded and kept the original draws long before this happened and kept them as a reference. I didn't even know about the redraws until literal weeks since I published the first chapter of this story.
From there it's been a mad dash to see what he's changed and compare notes. Safe to say that now I have two copies of the same chapters with vastly different outcomes. I've decided to reflect my predicament onto Tomoro. So he's read the original draws for the manga and knows nothing about the redraws which happened some time after he died. So he's working off faulty/incomplete information in an already very divergent timeline.
So this is all to say bear with me these next couple of chapters because it's going to be a straight up rollercoaster ride once the battles start. One more chapter to go where I put the final pieces on the board before that though and if you want to read it early check out my Patreon at: www.Patreon.com/Streggaeworks
- Location
- Argentina
Mmm, I think she is basically his teen daughter.
Last edited:
Chapter 24
As the helicopters travelled through City Z and into the abandoned section, Child Emperor couldn't help but muse on the information he gained about the place. Both the locals and the media called it Ghost Town, but that title is misleading. The truth is that the abandoned section of City Z is actually a district that was once a major part of the city's infrastructure. Both the local government and private corporate entities invested heavily in it, and as such, the district can be classified as a metropolitan area.
As they flew over the abandoned district proper, the youngest S-Class hero spied residential homes, various small and large businesses, multi-story apartment buildings, massive skyscrapers, and even a highway, among others. Looking at it all from a bird's eye view puts into perspective just how large the district is and how anyone could mistake it for a mere 'town.' Even more confusing was the fact that the local government hasn't done anything with it all this time.
Yes, frequent powerful monsters showing up were cause to abandon it, but it has been years, and the Hero Association could have salvaged the place by getting rid of the monsters. Hell One-Punch Man has been living in the area for three years now, and the monster sightings have had a significant drop in that time.
'Though that could also be attributed to the Monster Association consolidating their power' he thought pensively.
Still, the fact remains that there hasn't been a petition to the Hero Association for a purge of the monster population inhabiting the abandoned district and reconstruction of it.
'This reeks of politics' Child Emperor thought with a shake of his head.
He was staying far away from that particular rabbit hole.
'Given everything that's happened, maybe it was for the best that this place remains abandoned.'
Turning his thoughts away from the city, his eyes roamed over the occupants, which consisted of the S-Class, their compatriots (Atomic Samurai's students and Silver Fang's brother), and... Amai Mask. It made for a rather cramped experience, and the Child Emperor was afraid he would have to suffer through the endless complaints for that; however, to his surprise, his fellow heroes were rather reticent.
Not to say there weren't any grievances at all, but they were token at best, with sneers from Tatsumaki and Amai Mask at the start. For the majority of the journey, however, both and really most of the heroes were busy in quiet contemplation. Well, Flashy Flash, Atomic Samurai, Silver Fang, and his brother sat in silent contemplation. Tatsumaki and Amai Mask were more or less brooding in their corners. Metal Bat and Tank Top Master each had a tablet and were familiarizing themselves with the information they missed during the briefing, mostly on the dragon-level monsters that make up the Monster Association leadership.
Pig God was snacking on burgers and a mega-gulp shake. Puri Puri Prisoner was chatting up Atomic Samurai's students. It was mostly Okamaitachi who was engaged rather enthusiastically while his fellow disciples tried their hardest to ignore whatever was being said. One-Punch Man unsurprisingly looked bored out of his mind yawning for emphasis, earning a glare from Tatsumaki despite being the farthest away from him. Thankfully, she said nothing and instead turned away with a scoff.
As for the Child Emperor, he had his personal monitor out and was going over final preparations before disembarking. Even with the information on their enemies, knowing was only half the battle, and their increased numbers did increase his confidence for the support team's survival, but he imagined this trap to be a meticulous and multi-layered one.
'There are still so many variables' he thought while chewing multiple gumballs 'but in the end it will come down to finding Miss Nova.'
After that, their mission is accomplished, and they can purge the Monster Association in earnest either through Tatsumaki's powers or even Metal Knight's bombs. A good thing about a district written off by the government is that they won't mind if you destroy it.
And speaking of...
"We're entering the abandoned district now," the Child Emperor informed.
"Whelp, that's my cue." One-Punch Man muttered, unhooking the seatbelt and standing up with a stretch.
"Ours as well," said Silver Fang as he and his brother followed the bald hero's example.
As they discussed earlier, the team to infiltrate the Monster Association will be split into four teams. Team one, consisting of Child Emperor, Puri Puri Prisoner, Darkshine, Atomic Samurai (and his students), Zombieman, Pig God, Tatsumaki, Metal Bat, and Tank Top Master, will go through the 'front, so to speak. They will spring the trap laid out for them and weather whatever the Monster Association throws at them, essentially acting as a major distraction.
Team Two, which will consist of Silver Fang, his brother, Amai Mask, and the mysterious informant, will be the team actually infiltrating the Monster Association to find Director Nova and facilitate her escape. Originally, the team didn't have Amai Mask on it; however, the man was very insistent about joining them, and though the elder martial artist was reluctant, the other heroes saw the opportunity for what it was: a chance to be rid of the pompous idol.
His attitude aside, everyone was still on the fence about whether the number one A-Class hero was even qualified to be infiltrating the Monster Association along with the S-Class. Atomic Samurai's students had leeway since not only did the S-Class hero vouch for them, but their skills are well known and they would be working together. Amai Mask, on the other hand, made it very clear that he would be working alone, which was a problem because no one, least of all the Child Emperor, wanted to be responsible for his death due to him overestimating himself.
But if he wanted to accompany Silver Fang's group to go behind the scenes and away from the main action, then Child Emperor was more than happy to oblige. Eventually, the pressure from everyone caused the contemplative Silver Fang to reluctantly agree to have the idol hero accompany them. He did warn, however, that the informant may not like having Amai Mask tag along, though neither the A-Class hero nor the Child Emperor were overly concerned with that.
Finally, there was Team Three, which isn't actually a 'team' since it's just One-Punch Man going in alone. He's basically there to serve as a deliberate wild card, a metaphorical wrench thrown into the machinations of the Monster Association. His job is to cause as much chaos as possible (without bringing the whole place down) and split the enemy's focus even further so that Team Two can better fulfil their objectives.
So as One-Punch Man, Silver Fang, his brother, and Amai Mask stood up, the Child Emperor made sure that they had their earpieces for communication. He feared for Silver Fang and his brother with how reluctant and belligerent they were about it; however, for once, Amai Mask reassured him that he would keep in contact. The helicopter doors opened without slowing its pace, and as a few of the passengers wished them luck, they leapt out the open door and into the derelict city below.
A few more minutes of travel, and they made it to the heart of the abandoned district. The Child Emperor chose this specific location due to the placement of the hidden entrances, and this one happened to be in the rough centre of it all.
If there was a 'main front door' to the Monster Association, then this would be it.
The helicopters didn't stick around after dropping them off, and as he watched them leave, making sure there weren't any surprises that would take out their future transports, he turned to the crowd.
"We still have a fair bit of walking to do, so let's go."
He hadn't been joking about it either, but since he knew exactly where he was going, he was able to pick a route that was close enough to their destination for the choppers to drop them off. Afterwards, they would only have to walk a couple minutes before they arrived at their destination proper.
Why not just drop them on top of the entrance itself?
Aside from the dangers to the chopper being so deep into known monster territory, a few scout drones Child Emperor sent ahead to maintain an aerial view picked up the sudden emergence of multiple heat signatures. They remained hidden from plain view, so it was clear they were gearing up for an ambush, and just as he hypothesized, the moment they got close enough, the monsters sprung their trap.
They came out of seemingly nowhere and were everywhere. From within derelict buildings, upturned cars, sewers, and so on If Child Emperor didn't already know about the ambush, he would have felt mildly disconcerted with how quickly they managed to surround them. How they could go from walking down an abandoned street to having literally dozens of monsters surrounding them in half as many seconds. His fellow S-Class heroes didn't seem worried about the ambush, though, fully confident in their ability to take care of the monsters.
The same couldn't be said for the lower-class heroes and Sekingar, who complained about Gyoro Gyoro not keeping his word about not playing any 'tricks, to which the Child Emperor mentally scoffed. As if the words of a monster held any kind of significance. There is a part of Child Emperor that suspected the director to already have been killed and that they were going through all this trouble for nothing; however, until he confirmed this, he (and by extension, the other heroes) would play along.
'Speaking of…'
He tapped the modified hands-free headset he based off of a popular anime he liked, and with a chirp, it scanned the surrounding area.
"In terms of heat signature, there are 91, 100, 160 monsters gathering, and the number keeps getting higher."
"Put away that toy Child Emperor," Tatsumaki interrupted with arms folded. "Counting these worthless peons is pointless."
As she said, one of the monsters made itself known as the apparent leader, or rather, the strongest monster of the group. He was a large, imposing creature covered completely in a dark cloak, with only his hands left purposefully unconcealed. Said hands had eyes of various sizes and colors implanted on them all along the exposed forearms and palms. The Child Emperor knew this monster from the data as Evil Eye, a demon-level monster with psychokinetic abilities.
With a guttural exhale, the monster began to speak: "I heard that the Hero Association would be meeting us with their 'full force, but is this it?"
As the other monsters began to jeer while the heroes prepared for combat, Evil Eye flicked his clawed finger upwards. That single gesture was preceded by the surrounding buildings uprooting from the ground, sending the lower-ranked heroes into a panic.
As several multi-story buildings began levitating around the heroes, Evil Eye began his monologue, gesturing to the eyes covering his exposed forearms, "These are the eyes of all the monsters slaughtered by heroes like you."
As he continued to monologue his backstory and motivations (as monsters seem to do before every battle), Tatsumaki turned to the Child Emperor.
"Do you have the location of where we're supposed to go?"
"I do," Child Emperor confirmed.
"What's the distance from here? Be specific," she added, and Child Emperor rattled off the coordinates, for which Tatsumaki nodded, "then there's no reason to waste our time with this trash."
And with that said, Tatsumaki's psychic aura flared absolutely blinding to everyone else, especially the monsters. Before they knew it, the heroes found themselves covered in a faintly transparent green barrier dome. Outside the dome, hurricane winds swirled around the vicinity, with the eye being Tatsumaki, who floated just beyond the barrier itself, covered in a shimmering emerald outline.
The monsters tried to fight against the winds, some of them even attacking; however, this ordeal betrayed their bravado as, faced with true danger, they turned out to be what Tatsumaki described to the Child Emperor not a few minutes earlier: fodder. The only one who seemed to be able to put up a decent enough resistance was Evil Eye, whose many eyes shone with malevolency even as he yelled in an effort to control himself.
"WHOOOAAAAAA!!!!"
Tatsumaki was less than impressed before finally having enough of this farce and, with the most contemptuous of "hmphs," using her hand to cut a sharp yet careless line across the air as if she were swatting a gnat.
The results…
It would be false to say that an explosion occurred in that instance. From one moment to the next, the winds picked up into the most violent cyclone to ever be recorded before dissipating a dozen or so seconds later. There was no gradual increase or decrease in winds between them either. By the end of it, everything, from the monsters to the buildings and the street, was gone, leaving the heroes standing at the epicenter of a barren wasteland.
Naturally, all of the lower-ranked heroes were shocked and astonished by the display of power.
"I see, Tornado of Terror indeed," commented one of the lower-ranked heroes.
Some of the other S-Class heroes were astonished to various degrees, though largely for different reasons, while the others were grateful for not having to waste time.
As for Tatsumaki, she didn't care one way or the other as her gaze went back to Child Emperor: "How many are around now?"
The Child Emperor knew the answer but checked for propriety's sake anyway.
"None."
"Then let's go."
All around him, the vicinity became disturbed enough by the sudden windstorm. Thanks to his cape obscuring his vision, he couldn't see the massive tornado that spontaneously formed in the distance or bear witness to the debris flying about. By the time he managed to get his cape under control, the winds had stopped as if it had not happened in the first place. It left Saitama mildly confused as he looked around the changed landscape and blinked.
"Must've been a pretty strong wind," he muttered, scratching his head.
With that bit of distraction, he went about doing his task, only to pause. What seemed like a pretty strong wind to Saitama was actually a gale force comparable to an EF-5 windstorm. The resulting exposure, as brief as it was, did cause significant damage to the street, rendering it nigh incomparable to what it once was. That was bad because last night, after their dinner party, Tomoro actually took Saitama directly to where he needed to go to fulfill his part of the plan.
Last Night…
"This is the spot," Tomoro spoke as they both stood over a manhole cover. "Once you're down there, just punch a hole through the side wall until you appear in a massive tunnel."
"Won't that collapse the streets or something?" Saitama questioned him blandly.
"I mean, what are the chances that this place is still going to be here once you guys are done dealing with the Monster Association?"
Saitama took a moment to think about it, particularly Tatsumaki's words earlier, and conceded "point."
Anyway, pay attention to anything you can use to find this place after your meeting. How you separate from everyone else is going to be up to you."
"Wouldn't it be easier to just stick with the others since they'd want me to fight the Monster King anyway?"
"…"
"What?"
"Keep this up, Saitama, and I'll have to stop calling you an idiot."
"You shouldn't call me that in the first place! I graduated high school, you know!"
"And I'm sure you've been putting that diploma to good use ever since," he deadpanned, "living in a half-demolished building, doing odd jobs, taking handouts, mooching off of your neighbour…"
"Alright, I get it! Stop talking!" Saitama yelled, slapping a hand over the older man's mouth.
Pushing his hand away, Tomoro spoke, "And to answer your question, knowing your reputation and what you did to Elder Centipede, if this Gyoro Gyoro has any sense, they won't waste any valuable resources on you, so your path would most likely be a straight shot to the Monster King." Then he smiled, "But why make it easy for them?"
"Seems like a waste of time since the point is to kill the Monster King."
"Saitama, the whole point of this mission is to rescue the hostage," Tomoro said with an exasperated tone.
"Ah…I forgot."
"Clearly," he shook his head, "and look at it this way: if you kill the Monster King before the hostage is rescued—"
"Then they'll use her to try and escape," Saitama finished.
"I am so proud to be your keeper," Tomoro fake sniffled.
A moment later, he easily swayed out of the way of a fist aimed at his head.
Present Day…
They agreed on a location, and Saitama committed it to memory, but now the surrounding area didn't really look like how it had been just a scant few minutes ago, and Saitama was at a loss for what to do. After thinking about it for a while and wandering around looking for something familiar, Saitama gave up. Remembering everything he bothered paying attention to from the briefings about the Monster Association headquarters, the caped baldy set his sights on the ground.
"I guess if their base more or less covers the entire area underground, then I'll eventually reach it if I just go down, right?"
The idea was sound to him, and even though he was going at a casual pace so his infiltration might coincide with the others, he felt he was at least somewhere on top of the Monster Association.
And so, with a nod to himself at yet another genius (to him), Saitama crouched where he stood, raised a gloved fist, and struck the ground beneath him with the force of a demolition charge.
Tomoro's sudden statement drew the attention of the other three occupants in the room. The tension was high; everyone's expressions screwed into stern concentration as they regarded each other until...
A smirking Suiko laid her cards on the ground triumphantly, revealing a pair of black aces and eights and a red queen.
"Two pairs!"
There was a round of clicked teeth and scoffing from Suiryu and Do-S respectively as they also held cards in their hands. At some point Tomoro roped the three of them into some card games to pass the time and he thought they were actually going very cordial.
Suiko's hand earned a whistle from Tomoro "careful Suiko, that there is what's called a dead man's hand."
This drew a confused look from the young woman "why?"
He was about to say TLDR and leave her in suspense when her brother answered "because supposedly that was the winning hand held by a famous folk hero before he was assassinated during a poker game."
"I'm surprised you'd know that," Tomoro said.
Suiryu simply shrugged and said, "Meh, I got the same hand while I was playing in an underground poker tournament against some mafia guy. He told me the story before he tried to kill me and take my winnings."
Neither Tomoro nor Do-S really thought much of the story other than that it was a rather quirky piece of knowledge but the same could not be said for his sister.
"What!? When did that happen!?"
Realizing his mistake, Suiryu could only give out a drawn-out "uuuh..." before Suiko continued.
"You know what? Never mind," she shook her head with an aggravated sigh, "let's see what you got."
Suiryu lets out a smirk, "speaking of assassination." He laid down his cards, "four nines and a four." He then made a finger gun at his sister, "bang."
"Dammit!"
Meanwhile, Do-S scoffed at "children."
Turning an annoyed look at the monster, Suiko pointed, "and what do you have?"
With a smirk under her mask, she laid down her cards, all hearts going from five to nine, making it a "straight flush."
Tomoro went to comment on the hand only to pause and say "looks like it's starting."
They all knew what he meant by that, with Suiko asking "really?"
"Bang and Bomb are on their way," he frowned, "along with someone else who is definitely not Genos or Fubuki."
This caused the others to stiffen, with Suiryu hazarding a guess "is that bad?"
"Depends," he shrugged, "those two must have a very good reason for letting someone else in on the plan—oh, and before I forget," he laid his cards on the ground, "Royal Flush."
"Oh, come on!"
"That is some bullshit!"
Tomoro couldn't help but smile because, so far, he's won every game. Even when they took away his dealing privileges, he still managed to pull off some of the most insane and off-the-cuff wins.
"You cheating bastard," Do-S sneered, much to his amusement.
Tomoro scoffed 'that's ironic coming from you.'
Of course he was cheating, but then again so was Do-S and even Suiryu. The only one who wasn't cheating was Suiko.
Tomoro stepped out to greet Bang and Bomb, but his smile dropped once he saw just who they brought.
'This is going to be a problem; I can feel it.'
"Suiryu, Suiko, let's go greet our guests." He allowed the siblings out the door first as he stayed behind to address the monster woman, "stay here."
"That was the plan to begin with," Do-S remarked.
Downstairs, Bang and Bomb waited along with Amai Mask, who scrunched his nose up in distaste at the near-condemned apartment building.
'One-Punch Man actually lives here?'
He could believe that the legendary hero chose to seclude himself in this part of the city for both his privacy as well as a means of picking off dangerous monsters before they entered the populated part of City Z (before the formation of the Monster Association, of course), but it didn't sit right with him. The building lacked a certain level of opulence that the first ranked A-Class hero felt was due to the strongest man in the world.
'Perhaps its appearance is by design?' The question caused him to internally chuckle in both realization and mild relief. 'Of course, it wouldn't do to stick out in such hostile territory, so it only made sense to leave the outside as is.'
For all he knew, One-Punch Man could have converted the interior into a modern palace of sorts.
Any further musings were interrupted by the arrival of two individuals, one of whom Amai Mask recognized.
'That's…'
"Suiryu, Suiko," the elder martial arts hero greeted, "you two will be joining us then?"
Yes, sir," answered Suiko.
"Looks like it," Suiryu said, with only the tiniest bit of apprehension lacing his voice.
"Did that man rope you into this?" Bomb questioned with a frown, "I'll tell you right now, you don't have to if you don't feel comfortable."
"No, it's fine," Suiryu placated. "I want to help," he emphasized.
Amai Mask observed the interaction with a frown, asking, 'What is he doing here?'
The idol hero knew Suiryu from reports given to him by the Hero Association as a possible recruitment candidate. The recommendation was based not only on the fact that he held the record for most wins in the Super Fight Tournament, but with Silver Fang getting older and retirement becoming a very real possibility in the not-so-distant future, naturally the Hero Association needed a successor for him, so to speak.
As far as he knew, they had yet to make their pitch to him, which makes his appearance here both fortuitous and suspicious.
'Is he the informant?' he thought, 'or did Silver Fang involve him in this?'
The first thought was plausible yet improbable, but the second one held merit. Unfortunately, he was not privy to the happenings of the martial arts world, but with Silver Fang being as famous as he is, it didn't surprise him to see that he and Suiryu knew each other.
'In that case, asking him to join the Hero Association will be easier.'
Even better is the fact that he would be able to gauge the man's abilities for himself during this mission.
His thoughts were then interrupted by a shout from Suiko, who was pointing at him in wide-eyed recognition, "Ah, you're Amai Mask!"
At Suiko's shout, all the attention turned to him, and Silver Fang spoke, "Ah yes, Amai Mask has volunteered to accompany us."
At the older man's words, the girl raised a brow and asked, "Is that okay?"
He expected it, but Amai Mask still felt mildly irritated at his strength being questioned. It wouldn't have mattered to him as much if not for the personal importance of this mission to him. Having his strength questioned was like this; it's as if they were telling him that he was too weak to save Solaria. Such words to him could be considered one of the highest insults.
Amai Mask went to speak, only to be beaten to the punch by the voice of a third individual who landed lightly amongst them.
"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Suiko," the man lightly admonished. "I'm sure if Bang allowed him to come here, then he must have confidence in his abilities" the man looked at him "right?"
The martial artist nodded, "that is correct."
The man nodded, turned to Amai Mask, and introduced himself as "Tomoro Sazaki."
Amai Mask met the man's gaze for a moment before speaking: "You are the informant working for Miss Nova?"
Difficult as it was to see the man's eyes from under his bangs Amai could tell he rolled his eyes. "I don't work for Solaria. We're partners."
Amai Mask's eyes narrowed slightly in both suspicion and anger at the man's tone and casual way of addressing Solaria.
At that point, Bomb interrupted, "Were you able to find them?"
"I have," Tomoro confirmed.
"Them?" Suiryu voiced Amai Mask's question.
"I've spent a good amount of time gathering last-minute information," Tomoro informed. "I believe I know where they are keeping Solaria and Garou," he added as he glanced at the two elder martial arts grandmasters.
At the mention of the Hero Hunter, Amai Mask frowned but remembered that Silver Fang had a vendetta against his former student. The idol hero did not have a problem with this, though he was a bit leery of the older hero considering he somehow let the ma escape despite having what amounted to two S-Class heroes as backup in the form of his brother and Demon Cyborg.
"We might have a problem, though." Tomoro continued, "There is a chance other humans could be down there."
"What?" Suiko exclaimed.
"Are you sure of this?" Bang questioned him with a stern face.
"I am," he paused, "although it's been a while since I've heard this, so whether or not these people are still alive is up for debate."
"It doesn't matter," Amai Mask interrupted. "Thinking about this now won't matter. Once we're inside we can find out for ourselves if there are any more innocents inside. For now, we should get going."
"Alright let's-"
"WAIT!" All eyes turned to find Do-S standing by the open door wearing her human guise of a pair of sunglasses and a medical mask. "I'm coming too."
Really?" Tomoro raised an eyebrow. "You made it very clear that you wouldn't be joining us."
"I change my mind."
"Why?" Suiko questioned her curiously.
"None of your business," she bluntly stated.
"Uh-huh," Tomoro hummed, having already discerned the cause of this change of heart but deciding not to even hint at it for now.
Mostly because he had something urgent to deal with.
"Tomoro…" a voice laced with a deadly edge spoke.
'Oh boy'
And that something happened to be diffusing the Amai bomb.
The air around the top-ranked A-Class hero shifted as he glared at the new arrival, who stiffened under his gaze.
"Why are you colluding with a monster?"
His words caused the monster to shiver lightly under his intense scrutiny.
For his part Tomoro scoffed "how else did you think I got such in-depth information about the inner workings of the Monster Association?" He gestured to the monster woman, "Do-S, here is my contact, and she's under my protection," he emphasized in a deadpan tone.
His declaration caused Amai Mask to take his eyes off the woman in question and glare at the man. The staring match continued until a massive windstorm swept through the area. This unnatural weather phenomenon caused everyone to shield their faces, or in Do-S' case, keep down her skirt. They all beheld the formation of a massive tornado off in the distance.
"What is that!?" Suiryu yelled over the storm.
Bang answered, "Tatsumaki, she must be fighting someone exceptionally strong."
"Or clearing out the riff raff," Tomoro muttered.
Moments later, the tornado abruptly dispersed, cutting down the wind in an instant.
'Well, it looks like those guys have already started, which means that Saitama should be in the tunnels.'
With a clap, he gathered everyone's attention.
"Alright, we've dallied enough; let's go." He turned to Do-S "stick close."
He didn't give her a chance to respond before he began walking off. The others fell into step behind him, and a moment later, Do-S came up beside him, conveniently the farthest away from Amai Mask, who kept shooting her looks.
The psychic cyclops had allowed the monsters, who had been eager for blood up top, to engage the heroes as a means of probing their defences. Of course, expecting much from them was wishful thinking since the majority were just disposable Tiger-level fodder, but any kind of data accrued could only be a good thing at this point. At best, he hoped those minions could have at least taken out some of the lower-ranked heroes.
And speaking of the heroes, Gyoro Gyoro couldn't help but notice the absence of One-Punch Man, Silver Fang, and Demon Cyborg among the S-Class. The tactician did not even entertain the thought that they would commence the raid without them, especially the former.
'How cute, they're trying to utilize a pincer maneuver.'
As someone who spent a great deal of time and resources meticulously planning the destruction of the Hero Association, he made sure to account for all enemy moves. Even things such as Tatsumaki levelling the place or Metal Knight dropping a nuke were taken into consideration. So of course he anticipated the heroes splitting up in an attempt to divide and conquer, especially with how he found drones (most likely belonging to the Child Emperor given their toy-like design) snooping around several entrances.
'I just have to find out which one they're using and plan accordingly.'
Demon Cyborg, Silver Fang, and his brother Bomb can easily be dealt with; however, having One-Punch Man traipsing about the base without supervision was cause for some concern. Out of all the S-Class heroes, One-Punch Man was the only one whose combat strength he has not been able to accurately analyze. The same can be said for Blast and Tatsumaki, but Gyoro Gyoro was confident in his ability to handle the latter and as for the former, it is his opinion that the top-ranked S-Class hero is either dead or incapacitated, and the Hero Association is covering it up.
How else can it be explained that a hero who was fairly active for a long time suddenly disappears from the face of the earth one day and hasn't been seen in years since? Why else would he still remain incognito despite the threat posed by the Monster Association? There is always the possibility that he could be wrong and Blast shows up at the 11th hour, in which case they would have to use that, but he remains confident that it would not be the case.
Other than the missing S-Class, another peculiarity was the presence of two particular S-Class heroes. Seeing Metal Bat and Tank Top Master was a bit of a surprise, if only because he heard they encountered and were subsequently beaten by Garou, for which he had Gyoro Gyoro's thanks.
'Yet here they are completely healthy and hale.'
Could it be that their injuries weren't that severe?
'…I suppose it hardly matters now.'
"An impatient one, isn't she?" The voice caused Gyoro Gyoro to break away from his musing and regard the other presence. "You've lost quite a bit of soldiers from her outburst just now," the diminutive scientist continued.
Gyoro Gyoro wasn't surprised that the man had his own means of surface surveillance. Frankly, he'd be shocked if the not-so-good doctor didn't have his own set of eyes in and around the base. As a matter of fact, he knew he did because he'd already found some but left them alone. It is better to feign ignorance and control the flow of information than to tip his hand.
As for his words, Gyoro Gyoro waved a dismissive hand "inconsequential. More importantly, how is your assignment fairing?"
Dr. Psycho snorted, though he lost some of his "the boy is proving to be difficult."
"Oh? That's a surprise; I wouldn't think a mere brute would be a match for one of the greatest telepaths in the world." Gyoro Gyoro commented mockingly while looking down on the man, both figuratively and literally, while seated on his throne.
Dr. Psycho gave the monster a narrow-eyed gaze and said, "we both know that boy is no mere brute. His will is strong, and his mind is somehow building immunity to my intrusions. And his injuries are recovering at a staggering rate."
"He's evolving even now," Gyoro Gyoro muttered in wonder. "Will you be able to finish the procedure in time for him to participate in the raid?"
"It can be done; however, I will have to use alternate methods. The results won't be as ironclad as I would like, and with his continued evolution, there is always the chance he could break free."
"Do it," Gyoro Gyoro ordered. "I have use for him yet, and even should he slip our leash," the Cyclops shrugged, "for what I have in mind, he will play his part in this willingly."
Dr. Psycho huffed with a roll of his eyes "this is beneath me; I should be focusing on Solaria rather than helping you reign in some partially monsterized brat."
"And how is our hostage?"
"Sedated and ready to be moved," he answered.
"Don't move her yet."
"She's proven to be more difficult to handle," the doctor ordered "just keeping her under has taken an inordinate amount of time and resources that are woefully scarce in this drab place."
"If she's already sedated, then it should be fine."
"She's sedated for now," he grounded out "I don't have nearly enough drugs to keep her under for more than an hour or two at maximum."
"That is more than enough time for me to take down Tatsumaki."
He scowled, "You aren't strong enough to fight Tatsumaki—ERGH!"
In the next moment, Dr. Psycho slams into the ground as the gravity around him suddenly doubles.
"I don't remember asking for your opinion, doctor," Gyoro Gyoro states in a low, menacing tone.
"Your vendetta against the psychic sisters is clouding your judgment, and it will be your downfall," he gritted out.
Gyoro Gyoro's lone eye narrows. "We'll see."
Following that, the pressure was lifted, allowing Dr. Psycho to stand up. Curiously, the man didn't seem any worse for wear, and as he brushed the dust off his clothes, he glared at the Cyclops.
"Have him primed and ready to greet the intruders," the monster ordered.
Fine," the diminutive man agreed before turning away.
'Stupid, ignorant child, the man silently fumed, looking down at what he knew for a fact was a secret underground bunker inaccessible to most.
Psykos was a interesting case.
As an individual, Psykos is undoubtedly brilliant, able to teach herself the intricacies of several branches of science, conduct research, experiment, and ultimately succeed in discovering methods of successfully creating artificial monsters and monsterization. She created an organization of monsters for monsters, oversaw the recruitment and/or subjugation of multiple dragon-level monsters, and acted as their leader through her pet experiment Orochi and meat puppet Gyoro Gyoro. She accomplished all this, but her most noteworthy accomplishment for him was the fact that she managed to track him down, a feat not even Solaria has been able to do.
It is likely that she used her special ability to aid her in this, but regardless, she did manage to convince him to come out of hiding and invest in a partnership that has proven rather lucrative for him so far. For this as well as her other accomplishments, particularly in the scientific field of study, Dr. Psycho has acknowledged her as a scientific peer.
The same cannot be said for her skills as an esper. To be fair, Psykos was above average when it came to the power and versatility of her psychic abilities, even by his metric, and has much potential for growth. She even managed to somehow unlock true clairvoyance in the form of her Third Eye ability, even if she seldom uses said ability for reasons not even the doctor can fathom. He hypothesizes that she didn't have much control over it, and that is the crux of Psykos' issue.
For all her brilliance, drive, creativity, and power as both a scientist and a psychic, there was one thing the woman undoubtedly lacked, and that thing is experience. He's seen it when she stormed his base of operations and fought his artificial espers; he's observed her brief encounter with Garou through the meat puppet, and it all points to a lack of combat awareness and application. It's clear that in the pursuit of her scientific endeavours, Psykos sacrificed properly training her psychic abilities, and the worst part is that she hasn't even realized it.
As someone who worked in creating artificial espers, Dr. Psycho's successful subjects did not have nearly as much potential as natural espers, let alone Psykos and the psychic sisters who have some of the highest potential of any natural esper. They had to be extensively trained to exhibit the kind of power that would make them effective against natural espers, and even then, more often than not, they did not come close to exhibiting the kind of powers a natural psionic connection could induce. It's the reason why his artificial espers focused their training on control and precision.
Psykos' method is near the complete opposite, with her placing more emphasis on raising her personal power without proper training to utilize it. Not to say that she has no training, as she has developed some of her psychic skills, but they seem to have been developed more incidentally or as a means to an end than anything else. For example, psychokinesis is the most basic of the basic skills for an esper, and gravity control is just a precision increase of psychokinetic pressure around an individual. It is a skill that is the 'next step' for someone with significant psychic power.
Her skill in telepathy was developed as a way to control her meat puppet and run surveillance of the outside world through psychic bio-drones. The only noteworthy psychic skill that Psykos has that wasn't developed for convenience was her energy projection, and even then it's rather rudimentary.
Compare that to the Psychic Sisters, who not only have the benefit of Solaria's mentorship but have also dedicated themselves to actually mastering their abilities. As pro heroes, they have plenty of opportunities to put that work into practice.
'She thinks she's a match for Tatsumaki; how laughable.'
Dr. Psycho has kept a very close eye on his former test subject. Once upon a time, he made plans to reacquire that ultimately fell through. It wasn't just that Solaria kept a keen eye on her; eventually, it just wasn't feasible. Not only did the Tornado of Terror have more potential than Psykos, but unlike the Bluenette, she spent a great deal of her time training and developing her more nuanced psychic abilities. Combined with her overwhelming and staggering potential for growth, there is a reason why the only other esper to surpass the green-haired woman is essentially a psychic goddess.
As Dr. Psycho continued to walk down the spacious and empty corridor, he continued to think. For all the criticisms he laid out about Psykos, he at least expected her to be reasonable, as she's proven to be in the past. Yet the closer it came to confronting Tatsumaki, the more erratic and emotional the esper has become. Of course, she still tried to project the same cool, calculating, and arrogant exterior; however, such things are meaningless to a telepath of his calibre. To him, her outward calm was betrayed by her mental turmoil, not in the sense that she was nervous or anxious but in how ostensibly focused she was on fighting Tatsumaki to the point of obsession.
Obviously, the woman has something to prove, and defeating Tatsumaki is the instrument through which she could deliver her proof. Unfortunately, her action has degraded Dr. Psycho's respect which is a pity but not a great loss. Dr. Psycho would have liked nothing more than to put that arrogant brat in her place, but he recognized that she had her own uses. Let the girl gain some humility, and hopefully Tatsumaki will leave her alive for him to pick up at a later date. After all the real reason why he bothered to go along with this farce of a plan was because of Psykos' possession of the Third Eye ability.
Frankly, the gift of true clairvoyance is wasted on that woman.
'Erebus.'
A moment later, an individual materializes from the shadow wearing a long dark trench coat over a black suit, leather gloves, a fedora, and a white mask with a large smile and star cross patterns running horizontally across the forehead.
'Yes, doctor?' the man answered telepathically.
'Prepare Solaria for transport.'
'It will be done. What of the other?'
'Leave him be; I will handle him. Focus on getting Solaria back to the new base.'
He won't let Psykos' obsession and short-sighted pride get in the way of his progress.
His fists clenched 'I can see mankind's future.'
With a telepathic hum of affirmation, the agent slipped back into the shadows, like he was never there to begin with.
As for the other one...
'Psykos wants a beast to set loose on the heroes; she will get one.'
And yes, it also helped that the pay was good.
Make no mistake, being the realist that he is Komobi was fully aware of the inherent dangers of being a hero. This is why he operated in places with little to no monster sightings and low crime rates. Rather than fight monsters and stop crime, he did what amounted to community service. Then he had his first run-in with a monster. In retrospect, the monster wasn't anything special—just a disaster-level Tiger talking up a big game—but for a previously civilian high school graduate with moderate fitness, little combat experience, and no experience dealing with monsters, it was the scariest thing.
To make a long story short he ended up getting pretty beaten up. Komobi seriously thought he would die right then; however, before the monster dealt the final blow he was saved by a trio of men wearing tailored black suits. Through excellent teamwork they took down the monster with relative ease. It was the most incredible thing he'd ever seen, and Komobi was sure that the three men were B-class, but he was wrong.
It turns out his saviors were all C-class, just like him, though much higher ranked. That information floored Komobi because he's met other C-Class heroes before, and from what he could see, he thought the C-Class were essentially a dumping ground for unskilled, barely trained civilians like him who are basically being paid to do the equivalent of odd jobs. The fact that a C-Class hero's weekly quota could literally be met by doing odd jobs as 'public service' lends credence to this thought.
What these men demonstrated, however, is what he expected of actual competent and trained heroes. The reason for how they became like that was told to him as he waited for the ambulance and clean-up crew. All of them started out like him, basically civilians; however, they joined a group, received training, and became stronger for it.
They offered to take him up if he was interested and even gave him a card. Komobi realized that he didn't have to take them up on their offer. He didn't really have a skin in this game and could very much write this whole thing off as a bad idea, quit, and return to civilian life with no issue. Unfortunately, the physical and verbal abuse he suffered at the hands of that monster lit a fire in his belly that would not be satisfied with anything less than retribution.
He never wanted to be that helpless again.
So rather than have doubts about his life choices, he doubled down and took the men up on their offer. Following a somewhat difficult vetting process, Komobi found himself among the ranks of the Blizzard Group. It turned out to be the best decision he could have made, as through them, Komobi eventually came into his own as a hero, growing stronger, gaining experience, and climbing the ranks at a steady pace.
Unfortunately, despite the proper training and actual support he received from the Blizzard Group it cannot be said that Kemobi had enough talent to rise up in the rankings in an appropriate manner. Even after nearly a year in the Blizzard Group, while most of his peers went on to B-Class, he barely managed to break into the top 50 in C-Class. A shame, but he didn't let it bother him considering he didn't want to be a hero permanently anyway.
It seemed the leadership agreed, as he was eventually called in to a meeting with Miss Fubuki herself and two of her executives. He expected to be let go by the group, but the reality turned out to be much different. After noticing his struggles, they ran a background check and deduced his intentions of wanting to be a hero as a temporary way to pass his gap year. At the same time they also recognized that Kemobi liked being part of the Blizzard Group, which worked for what they wanted to propose to him.
Rather than let him go, however, she made a proposal for him to help the Blizzard Group in another way. It turns out that in order to preserve the Blizzard Group's continued rising dominance in the Hero Association, Miss Fubuki would send out unremarkable yet trustworthy members of the group to act as spies and informants. The criteria for who can be chosen for this are very stringent, and it just so happened that, despite lacking as a hero, Kemobi managed to meet the criteria for being one of her spies.
It's funny how things work out.
In any case, after spending a few weeks getting his credentials up to snuff and with the full backing and support of Fubuki and the Blizzard Group, Kemobi applied for a position as a member of the janitorial staff at the Hero Association HQ. You'd think, given that he's a former hero suddenly applying for a position to work at the Hero Association HQ would raise some flags, but it never did. Even in his interview, his being a hero only came up once before the interviewer moved on.
It turns out that it's not uncommon to have those who couldn't cut it as heroes apply for jobs within the organization itself. And just like that, Kemobi became a member of the Hero Association's janitorial staff. Going from a moderately successful hero (even if it was C-Class) to a janitor made Kemobi reasonably upset at the downgrade. That was initially the case, but as time went by, Kemobi began to appreciate his newfound position. Not only did the job pay well with benefits but Kemobi was also able to relay important information back to the Blizzard Group from things he overheard or saw during his rounds.
After all, no one really pays attention to the janitor.
Things have gotten difficult as of late following the death of an executive by a Monster Association infiltrator. Kemobi was able to avoid getting axed by complying with certain demands, which included a periodic screening and being barred from leaving the premises. Essentially, he's been living in the Hero Association HQ for a few days now and won't be able to leave until the Monster Association is put down.
Not everyone was given the same option, with nearly the entire security team and all non-essential personnel fired. Then there are those who quit willingly because they've given up hope and want to spend what they feel are their last days on earth doing whatever it is they wanted. It meant that now the building operated more as a fortress that was effectively being run by a skeleton crew of staff, guarded by the now inexplicably recovered heroes and Metal Knight's automated security system.
As a janitor, even his movements were being scrutinized. Thankfully having been employed for several months and coordinating with other Blizzard infiltrators who have unfortunately left, Kemobi was able to pick up on a few tricks. One of said tricks was making connections with the other staff members one of whom worked in the medical wing and, through gossip, informed him that they saw the Tornado of Terror reserve a private room in the medical wing for the Blizzard of Hell and demanded that she be put in a medical coma.
Naturally, Kemobi informed the Blizzard executives about this, and he got confirmation that Miss Fubuki has indeed been kidnapped by her own sister. They didn't have a reason for it, and the second ranked S-Class hero was being very obtuse and belligerent about why she brought the other psychic there. Neither Kemobi nor the other executives cared for her reasons either way. All they knew was that their leader was kidnapped and they needed to save her.
It felt like his entire stint as a spy was setting him up for that very moment, and so Kemobi spent several hours preparing. With the Monster Association's deadline coming up, he had the perfect opportunity to enact his plan. The appearance of even more heroes put a cramp on things, but this was balanced out by the appearance of the previously hospitalized Blizzard Group, including all the executives.
Together, they revamped his plan, starting with the takeover of the building's security. One member who had a background in computer engineering walked him through hacking the security system and giving him temporary control of the cameras. Meanwhile, with the excuse of meandering, using the bathroom, and going for some snacks, several of the Blizzard executives split off.
Glasses, the most unassuming executive, meet with him to get medical uniforms, and together they are able to gain access to the medical wing without raising suspicion. Since access to Fubuki's room is highly restricted, both men make a detour, and through the excuse of their janitorial duties, they are able to swipe the doctor's keycard to gain access. All the while, the Blizzard Group's hacker is subtly manipulating the cameras to not give them away.
Once in position, the cameras close to Fubuki's room are put on a temporary loop as they enter. Once inside, Glasses reads the information provided on the medical charts present to determine what was done to their comatose leader and, through intuition as well as a few internet searches, manages to find the means of disrupting the chemically induced coma and waking her up.
With Kemobi acting as lookout, Glasses oversees Miss Fubuki's slow transition into consciousness. It started with a fluttering of her eyes, a moan, and a grumble as she woke up.
"Glasses?"
"Miss Fubuki," he greeted.
Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the woman jerked upward into a sitting position, only to stagger as she was hit with a bout of vertigo.
Glasses was immediately at her side, helping her position herself as she swung her legs over the bed. "Careful, you've been under for a while now."
"W-what happened?" Her eyes blearily looked around. "Where are we?"
"We're at the Hero Association headquarters in City A."
"City A? How..." she held her head with a groan.
"You were taken here last night by your sister."
"My sister..." she trailed off in thought.
Glasses allowed her this, as she seemingly recalled the events of the night prior. Her expression turned from disgruntled to confused before realization hit and rage overcame her.
"Tatsumaki."
There was a very brief moment where an emerald aura flashed before all traces of fatigue were swept away, despite just waking up from a chemically induced coma. When she stood, it was on steady feet; when she spoke, it was with a clear voice; and all the while her expression remained displeased.
"Get dressed; we're leaving."
Yes, ma'am," answered both men as they discarded their janitorial uniforms to reveal they wore black tailored suits in shockingly pristine condition.
As Fubuki made her way to the door, Kemobi opened it for her. She paused by the doorway to give him a full glance. "You did well Kemobi; welcome back."
The man smiled brightly, incidentally puffing his chest, and said, "Thank you, Miss Fubuki; it's good to be back."
With a nod, the second-ranked A-Class hero Blizzard of Hell left the hospital room, flanked by two of her most trusted and loyal subordinates.
Some people complain that I'm just rehashing scenes from the manga and to a certain extent I agree. So I want to put in as much of an original spin into this arc as possible which wasn't a problem until it was. Now I'm going to be real with you guys, I'm experiencing a bit of difficulty writing the next chapter of this story. I won't say its writer's block but I am definitely not as motivated as I should be for this and so getting the chapter done is turning into a slog. That's bad and even worse I find myself distracted by other stuff so I've made the decision to pause updates on this story for a while and come back fresh.
Thank you for all your support and until next time.
P.S: Currently thinking about writing an OPM Oneshot SI story as Suiryu or Charanko. So maybe look forward to that in September.
As they flew over the abandoned district proper, the youngest S-Class hero spied residential homes, various small and large businesses, multi-story apartment buildings, massive skyscrapers, and even a highway, among others. Looking at it all from a bird's eye view puts into perspective just how large the district is and how anyone could mistake it for a mere 'town.' Even more confusing was the fact that the local government hasn't done anything with it all this time.
Yes, frequent powerful monsters showing up were cause to abandon it, but it has been years, and the Hero Association could have salvaged the place by getting rid of the monsters. Hell One-Punch Man has been living in the area for three years now, and the monster sightings have had a significant drop in that time.
'Though that could also be attributed to the Monster Association consolidating their power' he thought pensively.
Still, the fact remains that there hasn't been a petition to the Hero Association for a purge of the monster population inhabiting the abandoned district and reconstruction of it.
'This reeks of politics' Child Emperor thought with a shake of his head.
He was staying far away from that particular rabbit hole.
'Given everything that's happened, maybe it was for the best that this place remains abandoned.'
Turning his thoughts away from the city, his eyes roamed over the occupants, which consisted of the S-Class, their compatriots (Atomic Samurai's students and Silver Fang's brother), and... Amai Mask. It made for a rather cramped experience, and the Child Emperor was afraid he would have to suffer through the endless complaints for that; however, to his surprise, his fellow heroes were rather reticent.
Not to say there weren't any grievances at all, but they were token at best, with sneers from Tatsumaki and Amai Mask at the start. For the majority of the journey, however, both and really most of the heroes were busy in quiet contemplation. Well, Flashy Flash, Atomic Samurai, Silver Fang, and his brother sat in silent contemplation. Tatsumaki and Amai Mask were more or less brooding in their corners. Metal Bat and Tank Top Master each had a tablet and were familiarizing themselves with the information they missed during the briefing, mostly on the dragon-level monsters that make up the Monster Association leadership.
Pig God was snacking on burgers and a mega-gulp shake. Puri Puri Prisoner was chatting up Atomic Samurai's students. It was mostly Okamaitachi who was engaged rather enthusiastically while his fellow disciples tried their hardest to ignore whatever was being said. One-Punch Man unsurprisingly looked bored out of his mind yawning for emphasis, earning a glare from Tatsumaki despite being the farthest away from him. Thankfully, she said nothing and instead turned away with a scoff.
As for the Child Emperor, he had his personal monitor out and was going over final preparations before disembarking. Even with the information on their enemies, knowing was only half the battle, and their increased numbers did increase his confidence for the support team's survival, but he imagined this trap to be a meticulous and multi-layered one.
'There are still so many variables' he thought while chewing multiple gumballs 'but in the end it will come down to finding Miss Nova.'
After that, their mission is accomplished, and they can purge the Monster Association in earnest either through Tatsumaki's powers or even Metal Knight's bombs. A good thing about a district written off by the government is that they won't mind if you destroy it.
And speaking of...
"We're entering the abandoned district now," the Child Emperor informed.
"Whelp, that's my cue." One-Punch Man muttered, unhooking the seatbelt and standing up with a stretch.
"Ours as well," said Silver Fang as he and his brother followed the bald hero's example.
As they discussed earlier, the team to infiltrate the Monster Association will be split into four teams. Team one, consisting of Child Emperor, Puri Puri Prisoner, Darkshine, Atomic Samurai (and his students), Zombieman, Pig God, Tatsumaki, Metal Bat, and Tank Top Master, will go through the 'front, so to speak. They will spring the trap laid out for them and weather whatever the Monster Association throws at them, essentially acting as a major distraction.
Team Two, which will consist of Silver Fang, his brother, Amai Mask, and the mysterious informant, will be the team actually infiltrating the Monster Association to find Director Nova and facilitate her escape. Originally, the team didn't have Amai Mask on it; however, the man was very insistent about joining them, and though the elder martial artist was reluctant, the other heroes saw the opportunity for what it was: a chance to be rid of the pompous idol.
His attitude aside, everyone was still on the fence about whether the number one A-Class hero was even qualified to be infiltrating the Monster Association along with the S-Class. Atomic Samurai's students had leeway since not only did the S-Class hero vouch for them, but their skills are well known and they would be working together. Amai Mask, on the other hand, made it very clear that he would be working alone, which was a problem because no one, least of all the Child Emperor, wanted to be responsible for his death due to him overestimating himself.
But if he wanted to accompany Silver Fang's group to go behind the scenes and away from the main action, then Child Emperor was more than happy to oblige. Eventually, the pressure from everyone caused the contemplative Silver Fang to reluctantly agree to have the idol hero accompany them. He did warn, however, that the informant may not like having Amai Mask tag along, though neither the A-Class hero nor the Child Emperor were overly concerned with that.
Finally, there was Team Three, which isn't actually a 'team' since it's just One-Punch Man going in alone. He's basically there to serve as a deliberate wild card, a metaphorical wrench thrown into the machinations of the Monster Association. His job is to cause as much chaos as possible (without bringing the whole place down) and split the enemy's focus even further so that Team Two can better fulfil their objectives.
So as One-Punch Man, Silver Fang, his brother, and Amai Mask stood up, the Child Emperor made sure that they had their earpieces for communication. He feared for Silver Fang and his brother with how reluctant and belligerent they were about it; however, for once, Amai Mask reassured him that he would keep in contact. The helicopter doors opened without slowing its pace, and as a few of the passengers wished them luck, they leapt out the open door and into the derelict city below.
A few more minutes of travel, and they made it to the heart of the abandoned district. The Child Emperor chose this specific location due to the placement of the hidden entrances, and this one happened to be in the rough centre of it all.
If there was a 'main front door' to the Monster Association, then this would be it.
The helicopters didn't stick around after dropping them off, and as he watched them leave, making sure there weren't any surprises that would take out their future transports, he turned to the crowd.
"We still have a fair bit of walking to do, so let's go."
He hadn't been joking about it either, but since he knew exactly where he was going, he was able to pick a route that was close enough to their destination for the choppers to drop them off. Afterwards, they would only have to walk a couple minutes before they arrived at their destination proper.
Why not just drop them on top of the entrance itself?
Aside from the dangers to the chopper being so deep into known monster territory, a few scout drones Child Emperor sent ahead to maintain an aerial view picked up the sudden emergence of multiple heat signatures. They remained hidden from plain view, so it was clear they were gearing up for an ambush, and just as he hypothesized, the moment they got close enough, the monsters sprung their trap.
They came out of seemingly nowhere and were everywhere. From within derelict buildings, upturned cars, sewers, and so on If Child Emperor didn't already know about the ambush, he would have felt mildly disconcerted with how quickly they managed to surround them. How they could go from walking down an abandoned street to having literally dozens of monsters surrounding them in half as many seconds. His fellow S-Class heroes didn't seem worried about the ambush, though, fully confident in their ability to take care of the monsters.
The same couldn't be said for the lower-class heroes and Sekingar, who complained about Gyoro Gyoro not keeping his word about not playing any 'tricks, to which the Child Emperor mentally scoffed. As if the words of a monster held any kind of significance. There is a part of Child Emperor that suspected the director to already have been killed and that they were going through all this trouble for nothing; however, until he confirmed this, he (and by extension, the other heroes) would play along.
'Speaking of…'
He tapped the modified hands-free headset he based off of a popular anime he liked, and with a chirp, it scanned the surrounding area.
"In terms of heat signature, there are 91, 100, 160 monsters gathering, and the number keeps getting higher."
"Put away that toy Child Emperor," Tatsumaki interrupted with arms folded. "Counting these worthless peons is pointless."
As she said, one of the monsters made itself known as the apparent leader, or rather, the strongest monster of the group. He was a large, imposing creature covered completely in a dark cloak, with only his hands left purposefully unconcealed. Said hands had eyes of various sizes and colors implanted on them all along the exposed forearms and palms. The Child Emperor knew this monster from the data as Evil Eye, a demon-level monster with psychokinetic abilities.
With a guttural exhale, the monster began to speak: "I heard that the Hero Association would be meeting us with their 'full force, but is this it?"
As the other monsters began to jeer while the heroes prepared for combat, Evil Eye flicked his clawed finger upwards. That single gesture was preceded by the surrounding buildings uprooting from the ground, sending the lower-ranked heroes into a panic.
As several multi-story buildings began levitating around the heroes, Evil Eye began his monologue, gesturing to the eyes covering his exposed forearms, "These are the eyes of all the monsters slaughtered by heroes like you."
As he continued to monologue his backstory and motivations (as monsters seem to do before every battle), Tatsumaki turned to the Child Emperor.
"Do you have the location of where we're supposed to go?"
"I do," Child Emperor confirmed.
"What's the distance from here? Be specific," she added, and Child Emperor rattled off the coordinates, for which Tatsumaki nodded, "then there's no reason to waste our time with this trash."
And with that said, Tatsumaki's psychic aura flared absolutely blinding to everyone else, especially the monsters. Before they knew it, the heroes found themselves covered in a faintly transparent green barrier dome. Outside the dome, hurricane winds swirled around the vicinity, with the eye being Tatsumaki, who floated just beyond the barrier itself, covered in a shimmering emerald outline.
The monsters tried to fight against the winds, some of them even attacking; however, this ordeal betrayed their bravado as, faced with true danger, they turned out to be what Tatsumaki described to the Child Emperor not a few minutes earlier: fodder. The only one who seemed to be able to put up a decent enough resistance was Evil Eye, whose many eyes shone with malevolency even as he yelled in an effort to control himself.
"WHOOOAAAAAA!!!!"
Tatsumaki was less than impressed before finally having enough of this farce and, with the most contemptuous of "hmphs," using her hand to cut a sharp yet careless line across the air as if she were swatting a gnat.
The results…
It would be false to say that an explosion occurred in that instance. From one moment to the next, the winds picked up into the most violent cyclone to ever be recorded before dissipating a dozen or so seconds later. There was no gradual increase or decrease in winds between them either. By the end of it, everything, from the monsters to the buildings and the street, was gone, leaving the heroes standing at the epicenter of a barren wasteland.
Naturally, all of the lower-ranked heroes were shocked and astonished by the display of power.
"I see, Tornado of Terror indeed," commented one of the lower-ranked heroes.
Some of the other S-Class heroes were astonished to various degrees, though largely for different reasons, while the others were grateful for not having to waste time.
As for Tatsumaki, she didn't care one way or the other as her gaze went back to Child Emperor: "How many are around now?"
The Child Emperor knew the answer but checked for propriety's sake anyway.
"None."
"Then let's go."
~O~
"Uwah, why is it so windy all of a sudden!?" Saitama complained as his cape smacked him in the face.
All around him, the vicinity became disturbed enough by the sudden windstorm. Thanks to his cape obscuring his vision, he couldn't see the massive tornado that spontaneously formed in the distance or bear witness to the debris flying about. By the time he managed to get his cape under control, the winds had stopped as if it had not happened in the first place. It left Saitama mildly confused as he looked around the changed landscape and blinked.
"Must've been a pretty strong wind," he muttered, scratching his head.
With that bit of distraction, he went about doing his task, only to pause. What seemed like a pretty strong wind to Saitama was actually a gale force comparable to an EF-5 windstorm. The resulting exposure, as brief as it was, did cause significant damage to the street, rendering it nigh incomparable to what it once was. That was bad because last night, after their dinner party, Tomoro actually took Saitama directly to where he needed to go to fulfill his part of the plan.
Last Night…
"This is the spot," Tomoro spoke as they both stood over a manhole cover. "Once you're down there, just punch a hole through the side wall until you appear in a massive tunnel."
"Won't that collapse the streets or something?" Saitama questioned him blandly.
"I mean, what are the chances that this place is still going to be here once you guys are done dealing with the Monster Association?"
Saitama took a moment to think about it, particularly Tatsumaki's words earlier, and conceded "point."
Anyway, pay attention to anything you can use to find this place after your meeting. How you separate from everyone else is going to be up to you."
"Wouldn't it be easier to just stick with the others since they'd want me to fight the Monster King anyway?"
"…"
"What?"
"Keep this up, Saitama, and I'll have to stop calling you an idiot."
"You shouldn't call me that in the first place! I graduated high school, you know!"
"And I'm sure you've been putting that diploma to good use ever since," he deadpanned, "living in a half-demolished building, doing odd jobs, taking handouts, mooching off of your neighbour…"
"Alright, I get it! Stop talking!" Saitama yelled, slapping a hand over the older man's mouth.
Pushing his hand away, Tomoro spoke, "And to answer your question, knowing your reputation and what you did to Elder Centipede, if this Gyoro Gyoro has any sense, they won't waste any valuable resources on you, so your path would most likely be a straight shot to the Monster King." Then he smiled, "But why make it easy for them?"
"Seems like a waste of time since the point is to kill the Monster King."
"Saitama, the whole point of this mission is to rescue the hostage," Tomoro said with an exasperated tone.
"Ah…I forgot."
"Clearly," he shook his head, "and look at it this way: if you kill the Monster King before the hostage is rescued—"
"Then they'll use her to try and escape," Saitama finished.
"I am so proud to be your keeper," Tomoro fake sniffled.
A moment later, he easily swayed out of the way of a fist aimed at his head.
Present Day…
They agreed on a location, and Saitama committed it to memory, but now the surrounding area didn't really look like how it had been just a scant few minutes ago, and Saitama was at a loss for what to do. After thinking about it for a while and wandering around looking for something familiar, Saitama gave up. Remembering everything he bothered paying attention to from the briefings about the Monster Association headquarters, the caped baldy set his sights on the ground.
"I guess if their base more or less covers the entire area underground, then I'll eventually reach it if I just go down, right?"
The idea was sound to him, and even though he was going at a casual pace so his infiltration might coincide with the others, he felt he was at least somewhere on top of the Monster Association.
And so, with a nod to himself at yet another genius (to him), Saitama crouched where he stood, raised a gloved fist, and struck the ground beneath him with the force of a demolition charge.
~O~
"It's time."
Tomoro's sudden statement drew the attention of the other three occupants in the room. The tension was high; everyone's expressions screwed into stern concentration as they regarded each other until...
A smirking Suiko laid her cards on the ground triumphantly, revealing a pair of black aces and eights and a red queen.
"Two pairs!"
There was a round of clicked teeth and scoffing from Suiryu and Do-S respectively as they also held cards in their hands. At some point Tomoro roped the three of them into some card games to pass the time and he thought they were actually going very cordial.
Suiko's hand earned a whistle from Tomoro "careful Suiko, that there is what's called a dead man's hand."
This drew a confused look from the young woman "why?"
He was about to say TLDR and leave her in suspense when her brother answered "because supposedly that was the winning hand held by a famous folk hero before he was assassinated during a poker game."
"I'm surprised you'd know that," Tomoro said.
Suiryu simply shrugged and said, "Meh, I got the same hand while I was playing in an underground poker tournament against some mafia guy. He told me the story before he tried to kill me and take my winnings."
Neither Tomoro nor Do-S really thought much of the story other than that it was a rather quirky piece of knowledge but the same could not be said for his sister.
"What!? When did that happen!?"
Realizing his mistake, Suiryu could only give out a drawn-out "uuuh..." before Suiko continued.
"You know what? Never mind," she shook her head with an aggravated sigh, "let's see what you got."
Suiryu lets out a smirk, "speaking of assassination." He laid down his cards, "four nines and a four." He then made a finger gun at his sister, "bang."
"Dammit!"
Meanwhile, Do-S scoffed at "children."
Turning an annoyed look at the monster, Suiko pointed, "and what do you have?"
With a smirk under her mask, she laid down her cards, all hearts going from five to nine, making it a "straight flush."
Tomoro went to comment on the hand only to pause and say "looks like it's starting."
They all knew what he meant by that, with Suiko asking "really?"
"Bang and Bomb are on their way," he frowned, "along with someone else who is definitely not Genos or Fubuki."
This caused the others to stiffen, with Suiryu hazarding a guess "is that bad?"
"Depends," he shrugged, "those two must have a very good reason for letting someone else in on the plan—oh, and before I forget," he laid his cards on the ground, "Royal Flush."
"Oh, come on!"
"That is some bullshit!"
Tomoro couldn't help but smile because, so far, he's won every game. Even when they took away his dealing privileges, he still managed to pull off some of the most insane and off-the-cuff wins.
"You cheating bastard," Do-S sneered, much to his amusement.
Tomoro scoffed 'that's ironic coming from you.'
Of course he was cheating, but then again so was Do-S and even Suiryu. The only one who wasn't cheating was Suiko.
Tomoro stepped out to greet Bang and Bomb, but his smile dropped once he saw just who they brought.
'This is going to be a problem; I can feel it.'
"Suiryu, Suiko, let's go greet our guests." He allowed the siblings out the door first as he stayed behind to address the monster woman, "stay here."
"That was the plan to begin with," Do-S remarked.
Downstairs, Bang and Bomb waited along with Amai Mask, who scrunched his nose up in distaste at the near-condemned apartment building.
'One-Punch Man actually lives here?'
He could believe that the legendary hero chose to seclude himself in this part of the city for both his privacy as well as a means of picking off dangerous monsters before they entered the populated part of City Z (before the formation of the Monster Association, of course), but it didn't sit right with him. The building lacked a certain level of opulence that the first ranked A-Class hero felt was due to the strongest man in the world.
'Perhaps its appearance is by design?' The question caused him to internally chuckle in both realization and mild relief. 'Of course, it wouldn't do to stick out in such hostile territory, so it only made sense to leave the outside as is.'
For all he knew, One-Punch Man could have converted the interior into a modern palace of sorts.
Any further musings were interrupted by the arrival of two individuals, one of whom Amai Mask recognized.
'That's…'
"Suiryu, Suiko," the elder martial arts hero greeted, "you two will be joining us then?"
Yes, sir," answered Suiko.
"Looks like it," Suiryu said, with only the tiniest bit of apprehension lacing his voice.
"Did that man rope you into this?" Bomb questioned with a frown, "I'll tell you right now, you don't have to if you don't feel comfortable."
"No, it's fine," Suiryu placated. "I want to help," he emphasized.
Amai Mask observed the interaction with a frown, asking, 'What is he doing here?'
The idol hero knew Suiryu from reports given to him by the Hero Association as a possible recruitment candidate. The recommendation was based not only on the fact that he held the record for most wins in the Super Fight Tournament, but with Silver Fang getting older and retirement becoming a very real possibility in the not-so-distant future, naturally the Hero Association needed a successor for him, so to speak.
As far as he knew, they had yet to make their pitch to him, which makes his appearance here both fortuitous and suspicious.
'Is he the informant?' he thought, 'or did Silver Fang involve him in this?'
The first thought was plausible yet improbable, but the second one held merit. Unfortunately, he was not privy to the happenings of the martial arts world, but with Silver Fang being as famous as he is, it didn't surprise him to see that he and Suiryu knew each other.
'In that case, asking him to join the Hero Association will be easier.'
Even better is the fact that he would be able to gauge the man's abilities for himself during this mission.
His thoughts were then interrupted by a shout from Suiko, who was pointing at him in wide-eyed recognition, "Ah, you're Amai Mask!"
At Suiko's shout, all the attention turned to him, and Silver Fang spoke, "Ah yes, Amai Mask has volunteered to accompany us."
At the older man's words, the girl raised a brow and asked, "Is that okay?"
He expected it, but Amai Mask still felt mildly irritated at his strength being questioned. It wouldn't have mattered to him as much if not for the personal importance of this mission to him. Having his strength questioned was like this; it's as if they were telling him that he was too weak to save Solaria. Such words to him could be considered one of the highest insults.
Amai Mask went to speak, only to be beaten to the punch by the voice of a third individual who landed lightly amongst them.
"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Suiko," the man lightly admonished. "I'm sure if Bang allowed him to come here, then he must have confidence in his abilities" the man looked at him "right?"
The martial artist nodded, "that is correct."
The man nodded, turned to Amai Mask, and introduced himself as "Tomoro Sazaki."
Amai Mask met the man's gaze for a moment before speaking: "You are the informant working for Miss Nova?"
Difficult as it was to see the man's eyes from under his bangs Amai could tell he rolled his eyes. "I don't work for Solaria. We're partners."
Amai Mask's eyes narrowed slightly in both suspicion and anger at the man's tone and casual way of addressing Solaria.
At that point, Bomb interrupted, "Were you able to find them?"
"I have," Tomoro confirmed.
"Them?" Suiryu voiced Amai Mask's question.
"I've spent a good amount of time gathering last-minute information," Tomoro informed. "I believe I know where they are keeping Solaria and Garou," he added as he glanced at the two elder martial arts grandmasters.
At the mention of the Hero Hunter, Amai Mask frowned but remembered that Silver Fang had a vendetta against his former student. The idol hero did not have a problem with this, though he was a bit leery of the older hero considering he somehow let the ma escape despite having what amounted to two S-Class heroes as backup in the form of his brother and Demon Cyborg.
"We might have a problem, though." Tomoro continued, "There is a chance other humans could be down there."
"What?" Suiko exclaimed.
"Are you sure of this?" Bang questioned him with a stern face.
"I am," he paused, "although it's been a while since I've heard this, so whether or not these people are still alive is up for debate."
"It doesn't matter," Amai Mask interrupted. "Thinking about this now won't matter. Once we're inside we can find out for ourselves if there are any more innocents inside. For now, we should get going."
"Alright let's-"
"WAIT!" All eyes turned to find Do-S standing by the open door wearing her human guise of a pair of sunglasses and a medical mask. "I'm coming too."
Really?" Tomoro raised an eyebrow. "You made it very clear that you wouldn't be joining us."
"I change my mind."
"Why?" Suiko questioned her curiously.
"None of your business," she bluntly stated.
"Uh-huh," Tomoro hummed, having already discerned the cause of this change of heart but deciding not to even hint at it for now.
Mostly because he had something urgent to deal with.
"Tomoro…" a voice laced with a deadly edge spoke.
'Oh boy'
And that something happened to be diffusing the Amai bomb.
The air around the top-ranked A-Class hero shifted as he glared at the new arrival, who stiffened under his gaze.
"Why are you colluding with a monster?"
His words caused the monster to shiver lightly under his intense scrutiny.
For his part Tomoro scoffed "how else did you think I got such in-depth information about the inner workings of the Monster Association?" He gestured to the monster woman, "Do-S, here is my contact, and she's under my protection," he emphasized in a deadpan tone.
His declaration caused Amai Mask to take his eyes off the woman in question and glare at the man. The staring match continued until a massive windstorm swept through the area. This unnatural weather phenomenon caused everyone to shield their faces, or in Do-S' case, keep down her skirt. They all beheld the formation of a massive tornado off in the distance.
"What is that!?" Suiryu yelled over the storm.
Bang answered, "Tatsumaki, she must be fighting someone exceptionally strong."
"Or clearing out the riff raff," Tomoro muttered.
Moments later, the tornado abruptly dispersed, cutting down the wind in an instant.
'Well, it looks like those guys have already started, which means that Saitama should be in the tunnels.'
With a clap, he gathered everyone's attention.
"Alright, we've dallied enough; let's go." He turned to Do-S "stick close."
He didn't give her a chance to respond before he began walking off. The others fell into step behind him, and a moment later, Do-S came up beside him, conveniently the farthest away from Amai Mask, who kept shooting her looks.
~O~
"Damn you, Tatsumaki," Gyoro Gyoro grumbled with a scowl as the drone he sent out to monitor the first engagement was destroyed in the diminutive esper's attack.
The psychic cyclops had allowed the monsters, who had been eager for blood up top, to engage the heroes as a means of probing their defences. Of course, expecting much from them was wishful thinking since the majority were just disposable Tiger-level fodder, but any kind of data accrued could only be a good thing at this point. At best, he hoped those minions could have at least taken out some of the lower-ranked heroes.
And speaking of the heroes, Gyoro Gyoro couldn't help but notice the absence of One-Punch Man, Silver Fang, and Demon Cyborg among the S-Class. The tactician did not even entertain the thought that they would commence the raid without them, especially the former.
'How cute, they're trying to utilize a pincer maneuver.'
As someone who spent a great deal of time and resources meticulously planning the destruction of the Hero Association, he made sure to account for all enemy moves. Even things such as Tatsumaki levelling the place or Metal Knight dropping a nuke were taken into consideration. So of course he anticipated the heroes splitting up in an attempt to divide and conquer, especially with how he found drones (most likely belonging to the Child Emperor given their toy-like design) snooping around several entrances.
'I just have to find out which one they're using and plan accordingly.'
Demon Cyborg, Silver Fang, and his brother Bomb can easily be dealt with; however, having One-Punch Man traipsing about the base without supervision was cause for some concern. Out of all the S-Class heroes, One-Punch Man was the only one whose combat strength he has not been able to accurately analyze. The same can be said for Blast and Tatsumaki, but Gyoro Gyoro was confident in his ability to handle the latter and as for the former, it is his opinion that the top-ranked S-Class hero is either dead or incapacitated, and the Hero Association is covering it up.
How else can it be explained that a hero who was fairly active for a long time suddenly disappears from the face of the earth one day and hasn't been seen in years since? Why else would he still remain incognito despite the threat posed by the Monster Association? There is always the possibility that he could be wrong and Blast shows up at the 11th hour, in which case they would have to use that, but he remains confident that it would not be the case.
Other than the missing S-Class, another peculiarity was the presence of two particular S-Class heroes. Seeing Metal Bat and Tank Top Master was a bit of a surprise, if only because he heard they encountered and were subsequently beaten by Garou, for which he had Gyoro Gyoro's thanks.
'Yet here they are completely healthy and hale.'
Could it be that their injuries weren't that severe?
'…I suppose it hardly matters now.'
"An impatient one, isn't she?" The voice caused Gyoro Gyoro to break away from his musing and regard the other presence. "You've lost quite a bit of soldiers from her outburst just now," the diminutive scientist continued.
Gyoro Gyoro wasn't surprised that the man had his own means of surface surveillance. Frankly, he'd be shocked if the not-so-good doctor didn't have his own set of eyes in and around the base. As a matter of fact, he knew he did because he'd already found some but left them alone. It is better to feign ignorance and control the flow of information than to tip his hand.
As for his words, Gyoro Gyoro waved a dismissive hand "inconsequential. More importantly, how is your assignment fairing?"
Dr. Psycho snorted, though he lost some of his "the boy is proving to be difficult."
"Oh? That's a surprise; I wouldn't think a mere brute would be a match for one of the greatest telepaths in the world." Gyoro Gyoro commented mockingly while looking down on the man, both figuratively and literally, while seated on his throne.
Dr. Psycho gave the monster a narrow-eyed gaze and said, "we both know that boy is no mere brute. His will is strong, and his mind is somehow building immunity to my intrusions. And his injuries are recovering at a staggering rate."
"He's evolving even now," Gyoro Gyoro muttered in wonder. "Will you be able to finish the procedure in time for him to participate in the raid?"
"It can be done; however, I will have to use alternate methods. The results won't be as ironclad as I would like, and with his continued evolution, there is always the chance he could break free."
"Do it," Gyoro Gyoro ordered. "I have use for him yet, and even should he slip our leash," the Cyclops shrugged, "for what I have in mind, he will play his part in this willingly."
Dr. Psycho huffed with a roll of his eyes "this is beneath me; I should be focusing on Solaria rather than helping you reign in some partially monsterized brat."
"And how is our hostage?"
"Sedated and ready to be moved," he answered.
"Don't move her yet."
"She's proven to be more difficult to handle," the doctor ordered "just keeping her under has taken an inordinate amount of time and resources that are woefully scarce in this drab place."
"If she's already sedated, then it should be fine."
"She's sedated for now," he grounded out "I don't have nearly enough drugs to keep her under for more than an hour or two at maximum."
"That is more than enough time for me to take down Tatsumaki."
He scowled, "You aren't strong enough to fight Tatsumaki—ERGH!"
In the next moment, Dr. Psycho slams into the ground as the gravity around him suddenly doubles.
"I don't remember asking for your opinion, doctor," Gyoro Gyoro states in a low, menacing tone.
"Your vendetta against the psychic sisters is clouding your judgment, and it will be your downfall," he gritted out.
Gyoro Gyoro's lone eye narrows. "We'll see."
Following that, the pressure was lifted, allowing Dr. Psycho to stand up. Curiously, the man didn't seem any worse for wear, and as he brushed the dust off his clothes, he glared at the Cyclops.
"Have him primed and ready to greet the intruders," the monster ordered.
Fine," the diminutive man agreed before turning away.
'Stupid, ignorant child, the man silently fumed, looking down at what he knew for a fact was a secret underground bunker inaccessible to most.
Psykos was a interesting case.
As an individual, Psykos is undoubtedly brilliant, able to teach herself the intricacies of several branches of science, conduct research, experiment, and ultimately succeed in discovering methods of successfully creating artificial monsters and monsterization. She created an organization of monsters for monsters, oversaw the recruitment and/or subjugation of multiple dragon-level monsters, and acted as their leader through her pet experiment Orochi and meat puppet Gyoro Gyoro. She accomplished all this, but her most noteworthy accomplishment for him was the fact that she managed to track him down, a feat not even Solaria has been able to do.
It is likely that she used her special ability to aid her in this, but regardless, she did manage to convince him to come out of hiding and invest in a partnership that has proven rather lucrative for him so far. For this as well as her other accomplishments, particularly in the scientific field of study, Dr. Psycho has acknowledged her as a scientific peer.
The same cannot be said for her skills as an esper. To be fair, Psykos was above average when it came to the power and versatility of her psychic abilities, even by his metric, and has much potential for growth. She even managed to somehow unlock true clairvoyance in the form of her Third Eye ability, even if she seldom uses said ability for reasons not even the doctor can fathom. He hypothesizes that she didn't have much control over it, and that is the crux of Psykos' issue.
For all her brilliance, drive, creativity, and power as both a scientist and a psychic, there was one thing the woman undoubtedly lacked, and that thing is experience. He's seen it when she stormed his base of operations and fought his artificial espers; he's observed her brief encounter with Garou through the meat puppet, and it all points to a lack of combat awareness and application. It's clear that in the pursuit of her scientific endeavours, Psykos sacrificed properly training her psychic abilities, and the worst part is that she hasn't even realized it.
As someone who worked in creating artificial espers, Dr. Psycho's successful subjects did not have nearly as much potential as natural espers, let alone Psykos and the psychic sisters who have some of the highest potential of any natural esper. They had to be extensively trained to exhibit the kind of power that would make them effective against natural espers, and even then, more often than not, they did not come close to exhibiting the kind of powers a natural psionic connection could induce. It's the reason why his artificial espers focused their training on control and precision.
Psykos' method is near the complete opposite, with her placing more emphasis on raising her personal power without proper training to utilize it. Not to say that she has no training, as she has developed some of her psychic skills, but they seem to have been developed more incidentally or as a means to an end than anything else. For example, psychokinesis is the most basic of the basic skills for an esper, and gravity control is just a precision increase of psychokinetic pressure around an individual. It is a skill that is the 'next step' for someone with significant psychic power.
Her skill in telepathy was developed as a way to control her meat puppet and run surveillance of the outside world through psychic bio-drones. The only noteworthy psychic skill that Psykos has that wasn't developed for convenience was her energy projection, and even then it's rather rudimentary.
Compare that to the Psychic Sisters, who not only have the benefit of Solaria's mentorship but have also dedicated themselves to actually mastering their abilities. As pro heroes, they have plenty of opportunities to put that work into practice.
'She thinks she's a match for Tatsumaki; how laughable.'
Dr. Psycho has kept a very close eye on his former test subject. Once upon a time, he made plans to reacquire that ultimately fell through. It wasn't just that Solaria kept a keen eye on her; eventually, it just wasn't feasible. Not only did the Tornado of Terror have more potential than Psykos, but unlike the Bluenette, she spent a great deal of her time training and developing her more nuanced psychic abilities. Combined with her overwhelming and staggering potential for growth, there is a reason why the only other esper to surpass the green-haired woman is essentially a psychic goddess.
As Dr. Psycho continued to walk down the spacious and empty corridor, he continued to think. For all the criticisms he laid out about Psykos, he at least expected her to be reasonable, as she's proven to be in the past. Yet the closer it came to confronting Tatsumaki, the more erratic and emotional the esper has become. Of course, she still tried to project the same cool, calculating, and arrogant exterior; however, such things are meaningless to a telepath of his calibre. To him, her outward calm was betrayed by her mental turmoil, not in the sense that she was nervous or anxious but in how ostensibly focused she was on fighting Tatsumaki to the point of obsession.
Obviously, the woman has something to prove, and defeating Tatsumaki is the instrument through which she could deliver her proof. Unfortunately, her action has degraded Dr. Psycho's respect which is a pity but not a great loss. Dr. Psycho would have liked nothing more than to put that arrogant brat in her place, but he recognized that she had her own uses. Let the girl gain some humility, and hopefully Tatsumaki will leave her alive for him to pick up at a later date. After all the real reason why he bothered to go along with this farce of a plan was because of Psykos' possession of the Third Eye ability.
Frankly, the gift of true clairvoyance is wasted on that woman.
'Erebus.'
A moment later, an individual materializes from the shadow wearing a long dark trench coat over a black suit, leather gloves, a fedora, and a white mask with a large smile and star cross patterns running horizontally across the forehead.
'Yes, doctor?' the man answered telepathically.
'Prepare Solaria for transport.'
'It will be done. What of the other?'
'Leave him be; I will handle him. Focus on getting Solaria back to the new base.'
He won't let Psykos' obsession and short-sighted pride get in the way of his progress.
His fists clenched 'I can see mankind's future.'
With a telepathic hum of affirmation, the agent slipped back into the shadows, like he was never there to begin with.
As for the other one...
'Psykos wants a beast to set loose on the heroes; she will get one.'
~O~
A year and a half ago, Komobi took the Hero Entrance Exams and became a C-Class hero. Unlike a majority of the others who took said exam, Komobi was neither a weirdo with delusions of grandeur, had a particular set of skills that would serve him well as a hero, had a lack of skill in anything else besides, or was particularly desperate for any monetary pay. If Komobi was being honest with himself, he became a hero solely for the experience during his 'gap year.'
And yes, it also helped that the pay was good.
Make no mistake, being the realist that he is Komobi was fully aware of the inherent dangers of being a hero. This is why he operated in places with little to no monster sightings and low crime rates. Rather than fight monsters and stop crime, he did what amounted to community service. Then he had his first run-in with a monster. In retrospect, the monster wasn't anything special—just a disaster-level Tiger talking up a big game—but for a previously civilian high school graduate with moderate fitness, little combat experience, and no experience dealing with monsters, it was the scariest thing.
To make a long story short he ended up getting pretty beaten up. Komobi seriously thought he would die right then; however, before the monster dealt the final blow he was saved by a trio of men wearing tailored black suits. Through excellent teamwork they took down the monster with relative ease. It was the most incredible thing he'd ever seen, and Komobi was sure that the three men were B-class, but he was wrong.
It turns out his saviors were all C-class, just like him, though much higher ranked. That information floored Komobi because he's met other C-Class heroes before, and from what he could see, he thought the C-Class were essentially a dumping ground for unskilled, barely trained civilians like him who are basically being paid to do the equivalent of odd jobs. The fact that a C-Class hero's weekly quota could literally be met by doing odd jobs as 'public service' lends credence to this thought.
What these men demonstrated, however, is what he expected of actual competent and trained heroes. The reason for how they became like that was told to him as he waited for the ambulance and clean-up crew. All of them started out like him, basically civilians; however, they joined a group, received training, and became stronger for it.
They offered to take him up if he was interested and even gave him a card. Komobi realized that he didn't have to take them up on their offer. He didn't really have a skin in this game and could very much write this whole thing off as a bad idea, quit, and return to civilian life with no issue. Unfortunately, the physical and verbal abuse he suffered at the hands of that monster lit a fire in his belly that would not be satisfied with anything less than retribution.
He never wanted to be that helpless again.
So rather than have doubts about his life choices, he doubled down and took the men up on their offer. Following a somewhat difficult vetting process, Komobi found himself among the ranks of the Blizzard Group. It turned out to be the best decision he could have made, as through them, Komobi eventually came into his own as a hero, growing stronger, gaining experience, and climbing the ranks at a steady pace.
Unfortunately, despite the proper training and actual support he received from the Blizzard Group it cannot be said that Kemobi had enough talent to rise up in the rankings in an appropriate manner. Even after nearly a year in the Blizzard Group, while most of his peers went on to B-Class, he barely managed to break into the top 50 in C-Class. A shame, but he didn't let it bother him considering he didn't want to be a hero permanently anyway.
It seemed the leadership agreed, as he was eventually called in to a meeting with Miss Fubuki herself and two of her executives. He expected to be let go by the group, but the reality turned out to be much different. After noticing his struggles, they ran a background check and deduced his intentions of wanting to be a hero as a temporary way to pass his gap year. At the same time they also recognized that Kemobi liked being part of the Blizzard Group, which worked for what they wanted to propose to him.
Rather than let him go, however, she made a proposal for him to help the Blizzard Group in another way. It turns out that in order to preserve the Blizzard Group's continued rising dominance in the Hero Association, Miss Fubuki would send out unremarkable yet trustworthy members of the group to act as spies and informants. The criteria for who can be chosen for this are very stringent, and it just so happened that, despite lacking as a hero, Kemobi managed to meet the criteria for being one of her spies.
It's funny how things work out.
In any case, after spending a few weeks getting his credentials up to snuff and with the full backing and support of Fubuki and the Blizzard Group, Kemobi applied for a position as a member of the janitorial staff at the Hero Association HQ. You'd think, given that he's a former hero suddenly applying for a position to work at the Hero Association HQ would raise some flags, but it never did. Even in his interview, his being a hero only came up once before the interviewer moved on.
It turns out that it's not uncommon to have those who couldn't cut it as heroes apply for jobs within the organization itself. And just like that, Kemobi became a member of the Hero Association's janitorial staff. Going from a moderately successful hero (even if it was C-Class) to a janitor made Kemobi reasonably upset at the downgrade. That was initially the case, but as time went by, Kemobi began to appreciate his newfound position. Not only did the job pay well with benefits but Kemobi was also able to relay important information back to the Blizzard Group from things he overheard or saw during his rounds.
After all, no one really pays attention to the janitor.
Things have gotten difficult as of late following the death of an executive by a Monster Association infiltrator. Kemobi was able to avoid getting axed by complying with certain demands, which included a periodic screening and being barred from leaving the premises. Essentially, he's been living in the Hero Association HQ for a few days now and won't be able to leave until the Monster Association is put down.
Not everyone was given the same option, with nearly the entire security team and all non-essential personnel fired. Then there are those who quit willingly because they've given up hope and want to spend what they feel are their last days on earth doing whatever it is they wanted. It meant that now the building operated more as a fortress that was effectively being run by a skeleton crew of staff, guarded by the now inexplicably recovered heroes and Metal Knight's automated security system.
As a janitor, even his movements were being scrutinized. Thankfully having been employed for several months and coordinating with other Blizzard infiltrators who have unfortunately left, Kemobi was able to pick up on a few tricks. One of said tricks was making connections with the other staff members one of whom worked in the medical wing and, through gossip, informed him that they saw the Tornado of Terror reserve a private room in the medical wing for the Blizzard of Hell and demanded that she be put in a medical coma.
Naturally, Kemobi informed the Blizzard executives about this, and he got confirmation that Miss Fubuki has indeed been kidnapped by her own sister. They didn't have a reason for it, and the second ranked S-Class hero was being very obtuse and belligerent about why she brought the other psychic there. Neither Kemobi nor the other executives cared for her reasons either way. All they knew was that their leader was kidnapped and they needed to save her.
It felt like his entire stint as a spy was setting him up for that very moment, and so Kemobi spent several hours preparing. With the Monster Association's deadline coming up, he had the perfect opportunity to enact his plan. The appearance of even more heroes put a cramp on things, but this was balanced out by the appearance of the previously hospitalized Blizzard Group, including all the executives.
Together, they revamped his plan, starting with the takeover of the building's security. One member who had a background in computer engineering walked him through hacking the security system and giving him temporary control of the cameras. Meanwhile, with the excuse of meandering, using the bathroom, and going for some snacks, several of the Blizzard executives split off.
Glasses, the most unassuming executive, meet with him to get medical uniforms, and together they are able to gain access to the medical wing without raising suspicion. Since access to Fubuki's room is highly restricted, both men make a detour, and through the excuse of their janitorial duties, they are able to swipe the doctor's keycard to gain access. All the while, the Blizzard Group's hacker is subtly manipulating the cameras to not give them away.
Once in position, the cameras close to Fubuki's room are put on a temporary loop as they enter. Once inside, Glasses reads the information provided on the medical charts present to determine what was done to their comatose leader and, through intuition as well as a few internet searches, manages to find the means of disrupting the chemically induced coma and waking her up.
With Kemobi acting as lookout, Glasses oversees Miss Fubuki's slow transition into consciousness. It started with a fluttering of her eyes, a moan, and a grumble as she woke up.
"Glasses?"
"Miss Fubuki," he greeted.
Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the woman jerked upward into a sitting position, only to stagger as she was hit with a bout of vertigo.
Glasses was immediately at her side, helping her position herself as she swung her legs over the bed. "Careful, you've been under for a while now."
"W-what happened?" Her eyes blearily looked around. "Where are we?"
"We're at the Hero Association headquarters in City A."
"City A? How..." she held her head with a groan.
"You were taken here last night by your sister."
"My sister..." she trailed off in thought.
Glasses allowed her this, as she seemingly recalled the events of the night prior. Her expression turned from disgruntled to confused before realization hit and rage overcame her.
"Tatsumaki."
There was a very brief moment where an emerald aura flashed before all traces of fatigue were swept away, despite just waking up from a chemically induced coma. When she stood, it was on steady feet; when she spoke, it was with a clear voice; and all the while her expression remained displeased.
"Get dressed; we're leaving."
Yes, ma'am," answered both men as they discarded their janitorial uniforms to reveal they wore black tailored suits in shockingly pristine condition.
As Fubuki made her way to the door, Kemobi opened it for her. She paused by the doorway to give him a full glance. "You did well Kemobi; welcome back."
The man smiled brightly, incidentally puffing his chest, and said, "Thank you, Miss Fubuki; it's good to be back."
With a nod, the second-ranked A-Class hero Blizzard of Hell left the hospital room, flanked by two of her most trusted and loyal subordinates.
~To Be Continued~
Author's Notes: I would like to give a special thanks to theanimemail for suggesting Quillbot, it has literally saved me hours in editing. I'm going to be using this grammar checking Ai tool going forward and will be utilizing it on past chapters as well.
Some people complain that I'm just rehashing scenes from the manga and to a certain extent I agree. So I want to put in as much of an original spin into this arc as possible which wasn't a problem until it was. Now I'm going to be real with you guys, I'm experiencing a bit of difficulty writing the next chapter of this story. I won't say its writer's block but I am definitely not as motivated as I should be for this and so getting the chapter done is turning into a slog. That's bad and even worse I find myself distracted by other stuff so I've made the decision to pause updates on this story for a while and come back fresh.
Thank you for all your support and until next time.
P.S: Currently thinking about writing an OPM Oneshot SI story as Suiryu or Charanko. So maybe look forward to that in September.
ExploerTM
Ruin has found you at last!
- Location
- Russia, Perm
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Man, mindgames between Nova and dr. Psycho give major JoJo vibes. Who outsmart who? Does Nova have some grandmaster plan or Psycho will get an upper hand and there would be "Total Assault 2: Psychic Boogaloo" to save her again?
verycoolname
Not actually cool
Seeing Fubuki's subordinates being more than cheerleaders and fodder despite being 'weak' was really cool.
This cradle robbing old lady who only looks young but is a fossil is getting on my nerves.
I can imagine how Do-S would react at Amai Mask's true nature similarly like her if you know what I mean.
Kemobi: "Hello there."
Fubuki: "General Kemobi!"
Chapter 25
Author's Notes: So I've been reading comments across the spectrum of sites I've posted this story on and one critique that has gotten my attention. It's that I spend too much time on canon events (or characters) to the point where I'm just straight up rehashing entire chapters ripped straight from the story itself. I understand that's a problem and I recognize I have a crutch since I use the OPM manga as a reference point and in most cases I am literally reading the manga as I write this story.
That's bad (m'kay) but in my defense I've been writing the story under the pretense that people don't read the OPM manga or at the very least haven't read it in a while (I don't acknowledge the existence of the second season of the anime). Regardless I've heard your critique and I will endeavor to no longer rehash the canon events.
Thing is this kind of revelation comes at a time in the OPM story where there are so many moving parts it's hard to keep track of and I've added to that chaos through the actions of my OC SI and friends. I've essentially written myself into a clusterfuck of a wall here and I have to spend a significant amount of time dismantling the bricks to see the end of it. It doesn't help that I've been neglecting this story too.
Point is, don't call this chapter a comeback so much as its me trying to get reacquainted with the story.
What he failed to mention was that while Tatsumaki's wide-scale attack cleared the way for the strike force to continue unopposed, she also ended up destroying the drones he had been using to monitor the area. As annoyed as he was at the destruction of his drones, he'd much prefer this outcome. While he would never discount the efficiency and speed with which his fellow S-Class heroes could dispatch the monsters, the same couldn't be said for the lower-ranked heroes. He very much doubted they would hide behind the S-Class and let them take care of the monsters.
So at the very least Tatsumaki saved them time, energy, and the potential for injuries, as slim as the chances are.
'Besides, I doubt there won't be more monsters showing up, even with what we have planned.'
Shaking his head of those thoughts, he looked to the holographic display on his wrist-mounted device shaped like a watch. Thankfully, he still has pre-recorded satellite data images as well as the information from the drones before they were destroyed, enabling him to pinpoint where they are supposed to go. After reaffirming their positions through the trackers embedded in the earpiece as well as checking on the other teams, lingering on Silver Fang and Amai Mask for a moment, the Child Emperor began to address the gathered heroes.
"The surface team will be on standby!"
The moment he spoke, most of the heroes stopped marveling at the admittedly impressive feat of power from Tatsumaki. Said surface team consisted of predominantly A-Class heroes, along with a few notable B-Class heroes with particular sets of skills to aid.
He turned to his fellow S-Class members and said, "Strike team members; assume your individual positions and begin your assault!"
The base they were infiltrating is designed as a series of overlapping tunnels in a relatively short area of space. What he was able to map out gave it the appearance of an intricate tower-esque, maze-like construct on the hologram. It was so vast and intricate that despite entering the base in relatively the same area, each member of the strike team will end up going on completely different routes they can traverse for hours without ever crossing paths with each other.
No doubt, the design was made to confuse and ultimately trap any intruders, allowing them to be picked off in a multitude of ways. In this instance, however, the design would worked to their advantage. The S-Class heroes prefer to work alone, and Atomic Samurai's students work effectively as a three-man cell. This way, they are free to wreak havoc on both enemy numbers and infrastructure without worry.
With the destruction Tatsumaki wrought above ground, they needed to apply some creative methods for generating new paths underground. While the entrances were being made, Sekingar took the time to give a speech. He reminded the strike team that their number one priority was to rescue Director Nova, while for the surface team, he reiterated the absence of reinforcements.
'That's not entirely true' Child Emperor thought.
There were still heroes left back at HQ, though they were to primarily serve as cleanup in the aftermath of this debacle. He can't say that some of them wouldn't eschew the orders given to participate in battle should things not go according to plan.
'I know I wouldn't be satisfied with sitting on the sidelines even if it was the right move to make.'
In any case, the speech was more or less for the benefit of the surface team. Strike Team One understood that their role was to effectively serve as a distraction. As Sekingar wished them luck, all the entrances were finished to allow the 'rescue team' into the Monster Association HQ, including an extra large one for Pig God.
And thus did the heroes begin their mission.
Once the medical staff made it to her room, they found the esper missing. The doctor in charge sent a frantic message to Sitch, the only other person besides Sekingar privy to the true nature of Fubuki's presence in the hospital wing of the Hero Association. If he were being honest, Sitch heavily disproved Tatsumaki's request to house Fubuki in the HQ.
First, it was wasteful, as Fubuki is a powerful hero who would have been a valuable asset to have participated in the mission.
Second, it was immoral, as what they were doing was tantamount to imprisoning the woman against her will.
Third, it was unnecessary; Fubuki was not helpless in the slightest, and despite some of her shadier dealings, she actually earned her spot as the second-ranked A-class hero.
Hell, with how diligent and driven she is to rise through the ranks, she might even be close to S-Class at this point.
Despite his disapproval, he understood Tatsumaki's position as an older sister protecting her younger sibling. That still didn't give her the right to do this, especially during a crisis of this scale. Deliberately incapacitating their second strongest hero outside of the S-Class at a time when they were already short on numbers is just about one of the dumbest things one could do, especially with the fate of world as they know it on the line.
It is also something that only Tatsumaki could get away with.
Among the S-Class (and that includes Blast), she is the best asset the Hero Association has and the one they are banking on her to succeed should the others fail. Even Sitch agreed that among the S-Class she is the one most liable to get the job done. Despite her personality, Tatsumaki has proven herself to be reliable on multiple levels.
Luckily for the Minister Officer of Justice, neither the culprits behind Fubuki's disappearance nor the not-so-missing esper in question were making it difficult to locate them. It turns out the ones responsible for her 'abduction' were in fact her own subordinates in the Blizzard Group, and far from staying hidden in their 'escape' attempt, they were all walking in plain view of the security cameras, according to the report given to him by a technician he had asked to locate them.
Just in time too, since the entire base was on lockdown, no one was allowed in or out of the building, and the sentry drone was being rather obstinate in not allowing them passage out of one of the main lobby.
Fubuki seemed to be one more warning away from simply destroying the drone and making her way through the door.
Since everyone's attention was on the drone, with most gearing up for a fight, they didn't notice him, and before things could escalate, Sitch made his presence known with a shout.
"Blizzard of Hell!"
Naturally, everyone was surprised by his appearance, given that he was practically the face of the Hero Association executives.
"Mr. Sitch," the 2nd ranked A-Class hero greeted somewhat tersely.
"A word, please."
The esper pursed her lips for a moment before ultimately acquiescing to his request with a nod before turning to her subordinates and saying, "Wait here."
"But Miss Fubuki," called out the youngest of the group,
'Lily of the Three Section Staff, if I recall correctly.'
"I'll be fine," Fubuki reassured, and no one else questioned her as they parted to allow her through.
Sitch didn't take them far, just out of the main lobby away from prying ears.
"I'm glad to see you are doing alright, Fubuki," he addressed using her real name.
For her part, Fubuki folded her arms as she looked down at the man in frustration. "Thankfully, I was able to use my powers to flush the sedatives used to put me under from my systems."
"For the record, I did not approve of what your sister did."
"But you went along with it anyway," she bit back.
"Tatsumaki isn't someone who can be denied easily."
"Or at all in most cases" went unsaid.
"..." she simply stared before turning away with a click of her tongue.
"Where do you plan on going after leaving here?"
"Where do you think?"
Sitch hummed mentally; she was angrier than he thought, given how she was addressing him without the formalities.
"Tatsumaki robbed me of an opportunity to take part in the raid," the A-Class hero continued. "I won't let her selfishness ruin this for me."
Sitch almost sighed at the angle she was taking but wasn't surprised. For all that she was highly regarded in both the public eye and in the Hero Association. Fubuki is what he'd call a 'career hero.' She is someone who did not become a hero for any noble, passionate, or altruistic reasons, which wasn't all that uncommon, unfortunately. Fubuki's case differs from most, however, in the sense that she is very business-minded without it being a gimmick.
He didn't think she saw herself as a hero so much as an employee for a company attempting to work her way to the top. In a relatively short amount of time, she has extensively studied the structure of the Hero Association, found its weaknesses, and made the right connections to exploit it for the benefit of her and her organization. Fubuki was essentially gaming the system, so to speak, with the end result being the coveted S-Class position and all the power, influence, and recognition that came with it.
Sitch didn't approve of her motivation or methods, but he could hardly disparage the results. Not to mention, once again, that there is no doubt that Fubuki would be a major asset in the operation.
At the same time, however,
"Your presence in the strike force is unneeded at the moment."
"You can't be serious." Fubuki unfolded her arms with a look of incredulity. "Are you going to deny my aid in this situation? Are you that afraid of my sister?"
If Sitch were any less of a man, he would have scoffed.
"That's not it," he began "regardless of what your sister demanded, I would have never allowed you to sit this battle out. You're too good to be left on the sidelines."
Despite the tension, he could see her posture straighten and a brief expression of shock and even pride on her face before it was replaced by a milder frown.
"Then why prevent me from participating?"
"By some miracle, all the heroes in one of the branch hospitals recovered. That's almost a dozen A-Class heroes, Tank Top Master and Metal Bat.
"Isn't that more of a reason to have me be there?" She questioned, "Why bother keeping anyone back in the first place when the monsters are holed up in a single area?"
He knew what she was getting at. It basically seemed as if they were sending a relatively small team to face off against an army, which isn't a lie.
"We're not engaging in a protracted battle with the Monster Association. After Director Nova is rescued, the heroes will retreat, allowing Metal Knight or your sister to destroy their base and the surrounding areas."
"You'll destroy City Z?" Fubuki asked in surprise.
"We want to keep the collateral down to just the abandoned district," he supplied. "However, we are having the city evacuated in case things get out of hand," he answered. "We're keeping you as well as the majority of the other heroes here as emergency reserves. We want to be thorough in destroying the Monster Association, and given how they've operated thus far, that means accounting for any stragglers or last-minute surprises the monsters may have in store for us."
Fubuki scowled. What Sitch is saying makes complete sense from a tactical standpoint. However, her pride as well as her resentment towards Tatsumaki won't let her accept it.
Seeing the wealth of emotions playing across her face, Sitch made a decision. "I can't stop you from leaving, but know that I do not recommend it. Child Emperor has meticulously planned this operation with the resources available. Whether your presence on the field will be a boon or spell doom is up in the air. Just know that your interference may result in the mission failing."
Fubuki stared at the shorter man for a long moment before she finally spoke. "Will I be dismissed from the Hero Association for not following your suggestion?"
"No," he said, shaking his head before pinning her with a stern expression that made her stiffen. "As it stands, if your gambit pays off, then your dereliction of my orders will be forgiven, but should your interference result in a failure, then..."
Fubuki nodded "I understand."
"I'm not finished," he interrupted. "I can allow you to go, but the rest of your group will stay here and await further orders."
There were several reasons for this, including their numbers, the fact that most of them don't even meet the criteria for participating in the raid in the first place, and their presence, which will likely hinder the other heroes.
With nod of affirmation she furrowed her brow in thought as she glanced back at where her subordinates were left waiting.
"You can tell them I gave the order for them to stay back, and if they disobey, they will be dismissed from the association, and so will you."
Fubuki's eyes widened because Sitch was not bluffing.
"We have too much riding on this operation for it to fail, Blizzard of Hell," he spoke, and Fubuki swallowed. "I can forgive you disobeying orders to lend assistance because, frankly, I am hard-pressed to see you as anything but an asset to this operation. The same can't be said for your subordinates, and as their leader, you'll be held accountable for their actions. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Once you're finished relaying the news, you'll be escorted through a side entrance."
"Here," Amai Mask said, handing him a wireless earpiece. "Child Emperor wanted you to have this to help with coordination."
Tomoro accepted the earpiece, and as he fiddled with it, he posed the question, "So what plan did he hatch for this raid?"
"We are to infiltrate the base while the other teams keep the monsters' attention with distractions on multiple fronts. While inside, our primary objective is to find Miss Nova. Along the way, we can further disrupt their operation by any means convenient to the situation."
"So culling their numbers, sabotaging their infrastructure, gathering intel, and just causing general mayhem?"
"Yes," Amai Mask nodded, "but the main focus should be on Miss Nova's rescue."
"Well, I think it's safe to say this team is overkill for a simple rescue operation, and there are still some important side objectives that need to be taken care of while we're in there."
Amai Mask did not like the sound of that "what?"
"I'm sure Child Emperor briefed you on what else is inside that base that we can't let get away in the ensuing chaos."
Of course, Amai Mask knew what he meant. The Monster Association was not dangerous only because of the size, strength, and organization of its members. At the head of the organization lies someone who engaged in dangerous research and managed to partner with other villainous organizations as well. Hence, gathering general intelligence is one of the sub-objectives.
And so, with gritted teeth, he replied, "I am aware."
"Hey, don't you worry, your pretty little head off, between the seven of us, Solaria's safety is all but assured," Tomoro reassured, and capped off with a hearty pat on the A-Class hero's back, which in turn earned him a death glare of epic proportions.
"My brother and I will be pursuing Garou," Bang reminded.
"And I'll be going with them to ensure they don't get lost" Tomoro added.
"We don't need an escort," Bomb grumbled.
"Alright, then I'm sure you know how to work with the communicator to keep in contact."
"…"
Bang shook his head. "I understand your worries about communication but is it wise to leave the others by themselves?"
Tomoro pointed at Amai Mask, "Well, he seems hell bent on finding Solaria, and I pity anyone who stands in his way." He then pointed to the two siblings, "And with the heroes taking care of the major threats, I trust in their ability to handle anything else that comes their way."
"Then who will the young lady be accompanying?" He said this while gesturing to Do-S.
The silent monster girl gave an imperceptible flinch at their attention, or rather, at the attention of a certain idol hero whose gaze was practically piercing.
"Ideally I would have preferred her sticking with Suiryu and Suiko" Tomoro admitted "safety in numbers and all but-"
"The monster is coming with me," Amai Mask declared with a tone that brokered no argument.
Tomoro met his eyes for a moment before turning to the siblings and asking, "Is that alright with you?"
Suiryu shrugged. "I'm fine with it. We were just going to ask around for where they're keeping the monster cells anyway."
"We can handle that" Suiko added, hitting a fist into her palm.
Despite the casualness of their words, they both held expressions of focused determination to go with their confidence. Tomoro was glad for their confidence as well as their determination. They both seem to have something to prove, but Suiryu more so.
'I guess he's looking to redeem himself for how he performed at the Super Fight Tournament' Tomoro smirked, 'I approve; don't disappoint me you two.'
He then turned to the only person whose opinion he hadn't gotten.
"What about you? Are you alright with tagging along with Mr. Idol here?"
Do-S maintained a straight face, refusing to so much as glance at the idol in question as she answered nonchalantly.
"It doesn't matter who I end up going with."
'…She's says with red tinted cheeks under her mask.'
Tomoro could only silently shake his head at how down bad the monster woman was.
Moments later, they arrived at their destination, and after ensuring that each group had a communication device, Tomoro destroyed the surveillance drone at the entrance before they all went about completing their mission.
Gyoro Gyoro directed the question to the group of monsters gathered before him. All of them were below the Demon disaster level and didn't even have any interesting or useful abilities to compensate for their lack of power, thus relegating them to 'fodder' in the psychic monster's mind.
"You all seemed so eager to go out and fight the heroes that I had to order them to stay back, and now that I am finally allowing you to go, you're all getting cold feet."
The monsters quivered in fear under the gaze of one of the Monster Association's top members, but one of them gathered their courage to speak out for the group.
"It's not like that Lord Gyoro Gyoro-"
"They're just too strong!" another monster shouted interrupting the first then flinched when attention was put on him.
One brazenly came forth: "We thought we could overwhelm them with numbers, but everyone who went before us died so easily!"
"Are you afraid of death?"
"That's-"
"Of course we're prepared to risk our lives, but what's the point of fighting the heroes if we're just going to die without doing anything!?"
Gyoro Gyoro looked contemplatively down at the monsters before humming out loud, "I see what the issue is. What you witnessed was the power of the second-ranked S-Class hero, Tornado of Terror."
At this information, the monsters gasped and murmured amongst themselves.
"That was caused by a single hero!?"
"So that's the power of the S-Class?"
"We are so screwed!"
Gyoro Gyoro leveled some of his intent on the crowd, causing them to quiet down.
"As of this moment, the S-Class heroes are wandering the base leaving only the weaker heroes on the surface for you to slaughter."
His words caused the fear in the group to be significantly lessened and soon they gained back their enthusiasm. With a few more words of encouragement along with the oh-so-subtle threat of violence, he sent the group of hapless and bloodthirsty minions away. Truly, their chances of survival are only marginally better against the heroes on the surface, but Gyoro Gyoro didn't care much for fodder.
'Victory is assured so long as the S-Class fall' thought the Monster Association advisor, 'and speaking of, it appears my hypothesis was correct.'
With Child Emperor's drones snooping around the base, with at least one making it to almost all the entrances, Gyoro Gyoro figured the heroes would attack on multiple fronts in an attempt to spread their forces thin.
'A simple strategy worthy of a child' he internally scoffed 'not that they had many options to begin with.'
That's why he set up drones at every conceivable entrance and made sure to pay extra attention to them even as he surveyed the main points of interest. His precaution ended up fruitless, as one of the drones ended up being destroyed. It happened almost instantaneously, but not before he caught a glimpse of the intruders. To his surprise, he actually recognized most of them, though the surprise came more from the group itself than the individuals.
Of course, he recognized Silver Fang and his brother Bomb, as well as Amai Mask. He even recognized Suiryu, the three-time Super Fight champion that Gouketsu showed some interest in. The unknown girl bore some resemblance to the young martial artist he surmised as his sibling, as he was stated to have one from the background check Gyoro Gyoro did to ascertain Suiryu's potential danger.
The pair of siblings' presence here was confusing, as it was surprising, though they made more sense than the only female of the group, who had Gyoro Gyoro's eye narrow.
'So that's where you've been, Do-S.'
Being a peculiar monster with an even more interesting ability, Do-S was one who Gyoro Gyoro kept his eye on, even among the other Demon-level monsters. The ability to mind control someone is one that could have many applications. Recent events have shown him this, and despite her failure to take down her objective (Fubuki), Gyoro Gyoro was willing to spare her for her failures.
At least that would have been the case had she returned to base, but she didn't. Gyoro Gyoro entertained only two possibilities as the reason for this. She was either killed following her defeat or she fled in fear of reprisals for her failure. Both reasons are plausible yet improbable on different grounds.
For the former, though Do-S may not have the highest combat capabilities among even the Demon-level monsters, she had high survivability and instincts. It would take no less than an S-Class hero to kill her, and Gyoro Gyoro had them under surveillance during the attack.
As for her running away, both Gyoro Gyoro and Orochi made it very clear to everyone that there is no backing out of the Monster Association. From the highest executives to the lowest fodder, everyone is beholden to the organization and Orochi's (Psykos') vision for a world dominated by monsters.
Gyoro Gyoro knew Do-S understood this because for she was confident in her ability to the point of arrogance and made no small amount of racket about it amongst her fellow monsters when she first arrived. She even went so far as to style herself as the 'Monster Princess' until she got a reality check following the first time she gazed at Orochi.
She hasn't used the moniker since.
But that makes it all the more surprising to Gyoro Gyoro to see her among the humans infiltrating the base.
'She may be a coward at heart, but I didn't figure her for a traitor.'
From what was observed she believes very much in monster supremacy or at the very least human inferiority.
'She wouldn't betray us in such a manner unless forced to, and none of the heroes would think to turn one of our own against us in such a manner.'
They would interrogate her for information and dispose of her afterwards. The fact that she was among their numbers spoke of there being some other element in play here.
And with that thought, his attention went to the only unknown of the group.
'Who is he?'
The man wasn't a person of interest, nor did Gyoro Gyoro ever recall seeing the man at any point during his investigations into the Hero Association or certain persons of interest who could be a threat to the Monster Association. He made sure to be very thorough in his investigations, and at no point can I remember that man.
'Is he a secret weapon of theirs?'
It was mildly disturbing that the Hero Association was able to keep him hidden, and yet...
'He doesn't look like any hero or even an affiliate of the Hero Association. He looks like a random civilian, yet I can't help but feel like there is something more.'
There was more to this man by virtue of him being among the infiltrators. Not to mention in the instant the drone picked up a visual of their entrance Gyoro Gyoro noted that it was the man who caused its destruction. It was so fast that, had Gyoro Gyoro not been focused, he would have missed it.
Again the question of his identity came to mind before a thought occurred which caused Gyoro Gyoro's eye to narrow.
'Solaria'
"I see, so that's the game you're playing," the Cyclops muttered to as he lay back in the massive bean bag chair.
Of course, with how nonchalant she had been about her capture, even after dealing with the doctor's ordeal (according to him), she would have some kind of contingency in place for her rescue outside of the Hero Association itself. It seemed reasonable enough for a woman of her wealth and standing to have agents of her own.
'He must be something special then. I'll have to keep an eye on that group as well.'
Outwardly, Gyoro Gyoro sighed. "In the end, the plan remains the same."
Speaking of which, he could have made a more efficient plan to get rid of the heroes, as this one seemed needlessly theatrical.
But that was the point.
The theatrics of it all, that is.
This battle wasn't just a means to an end.
It was about sending a message.
And what better way to send a message than to have the 'brave heroes' venture through a maze-like base having random 'encounters' and 'ambushes' with fodder they will cut through like a scythe to wheat, thereby lulling them into a false sense of security, their confidence and arrogance at an all-time high before they ultimately end up facing against the true monsters who will break their confidence, arrogance, and all preconceived notions they held about their strength and the strength of their enemies before breaking their bodies and, in turn, their spirit.
That is the ultimate reason for all of this.
'And when all is said and done, I will gather what is left of them and broadcast it to the world. Humanity's greatest and last hope is reduced to utter failures. I will show them; I will show her and savor their anguish before allowing them to die'
"…!"
Suddenly, several presences he'd noticed long before got close enough for him to properly acknowledge by turning his beanbag chair to face them.
'And the main actors of this play arrive~'
From the gloom of the room, I walked in five of the Monster Association's executives, colloquially referred to as Cadres by rank and file. Each of these monsters is a dragon-level threat; each of them, Gyoro Gyoro, is personally sought out for their unique abilities that can counter and overwhelm the best the Hero Association has to offer.
"Ah, you're here."
"You're the one who summoned us." Black Sperm spoke with an annoyed look, "just when I was about to go up and start killing the heroes too."
"I understand your eagerness to take part in the bloodshed; however, it would run counter to my plans."
"And how goes this plan of yours?" Homeless Emperor spoke with folded arms.
"It is going as expected. The heroes have begun their infiltration using multiple entrance points. They should be engaging the ambushes and patrols I've set up."
"Seems like a lot of trouble for nothing," said Fuhrer Ugly while picking his nose with his pinky.
Gyoro Gyoro never told them the details of the plan he had in mind partly because he saw them as nothing more than weapons, perhaps just a step above tools and weapons didn't need to know anything beyond being pointed at a target.
"It's all in the name of gathering data and updating you all on any changes or surprises."
"Not like it's going to change anything," Nyan commented lightly. "In the end, we'll kill them all."
"Furball's got a point." Black Sperm agreed, "All this sitting around doing nothing is a waste of time. Let me at em' I can take on all those S-Class heroes myself."
The worst part is that he might actually be capable of doing it but he didn't need the added ego boost.
"Be that as it may, I won't leave anything to chance. It would be unfortunate if the heroes prepared something at the last minute that ends up being your downfall," Gyoro Gyoro informed with a meaningful yet piercing gaze.
A vein appeared on Black Sperm's white head as he gave a thuggish "huuh?" Then, taking a step forward, he asked a simple question: "Are you looking down on me?"
That single question turned the tension up a notch, but not as much as the sudden appearance of Orochi's partially transformed face coming into view behind the Cyclops. The Monster King said nothing as his yellow eyes, devoid of soul yet radiating power, bore down on the executives to such a degree that they all became agitated in various ways.
Gum's mouth stretched wider as he barred his teeth with the force of an industrial compactor.
Nyan's fur bristled as the pupils of his cat-like eyes contracted.
Fuhrer Ugly stopped picking his nose as his expression became one of focused anticipation.
Homeless Emperor's eyes narrowed as the air around him became slightly electrified.
For his part, Black Sperm met the gaze of the Monster King without a single ounce of fear or worry. They entered a staredown, with the Cadre seemingly giving consideration to attacking the Monster King.
'This is the main reason why I don't share my plans with any of you' Gyoro Gyoro thought with a sigh.
Getting them together was difficult enough to begin with, but even with Gyoro Gyoro's manipulations and the threat of Orochi's power, their compliance mostly hinges on other factors that have nothing to do with either Gyoro Gyoro or Orochi's presence. Gyoro Gyoro is convinced that the only reason any of them don't outright challenge Orochi for the leadership title is a combination of their curiosity about seeing the plan through and their shared hatred of humanity and the heroes that protect them.
Before things could escalate, they were interrupted by the arrival of another Cadre.
"Am I intruding?" Dr. Psycho questioned him as he strolled in with his hands behind his back.
Capitalizing on the lull in tension, Gyoro Gyoro spoke, "No, Doctor. As a matter of fact, you are just in time. I was about to explain to your fellow executives that it has come to my attention that there was an information leak. I have confirmed that the heroes were able to somehow coerce one of our Demon-level members to turn traitor."
This caught the attention of all but Gums, though they didn't seem overly concerned with this turn of events.
"I doubt it will have any bearing on the outcome of your battles, but there is a chance that we've lost the element of surprise, and they might have prepared contingencies, doubtful as that may be."
With a gesture, several bio-drones in the form of eyeballs with batwings attached flew towards each Cadre. Except for Gums, whose drone kept its distance from the walking embodiment of gluttony.
"These drones will keep you informed on updates of the situation as it unfolds. I suggest you use the time to prepare for your enemies' arrival. That is all; you are dismissed."
"Tch" Black Sperm scoffed and stomped out while the others filed out at their own pace, including Orochi, whose head retreated away, leaving Gyoro Gyoro alone with Dr. Psycho.
"Do you have something to report?"
"The boy is ready to be moved."
"And his conditioning?"
"I've done all I could to expedite the brainwashing procedure, and in the process, he has monsterized further, which has helped, but without time to capitalize on this, the best you'll get is a berserker."
Having spent a significant amount of time studying monster transformations in all their forms, Gyoro Gyoro wasn't too surprised that Garou further monsterized from the stress under the doctor's supervision. He was actually counting on it, but his will proved strong enough to delay the brainwashing process so that the breakthrough was rendered moot.
"Truly a shame," Gyoro Gyoro acknowledged while mourning the lost opportunity, "but it will have to do."
It's a shame that Gouketsu fell for multiple reasons.
'He would have been the perfect foil for Silver Fang and his brother, leaving the doctor with more time to work on Garou. Then I would have yet another pawn of Orochi's caliber to work with.'
Dr. Psycho went to leave only for Gyoro Gyoro to interrupt, "And what of Solaria?"
"Sedated for the time being."
"Is that all you have to say?"
The short man's brows furrowed. "What?"
"You were planning to move her against my orders."
His face betrayed nothing; however, he felt a touch of anxiety.
"What are you talking about?"
*THUD*
In response, something landed before the feet of the doctor, causing the man to startle backwards. What lay before him was the mangled corpse of Erebus, his agent, one of the strongest artificial espers of Tsukuyomi, and someone whom he had given the task of setting up a spy network throughout the Monster Association base.
"I find it amusing that you thought you were able to hide your actions from me within my own base of operations."
'Erebus has the ability to conceal his presence from nearly all natural and esoteric senses as well as most sensors. How was he found out?'
A moment later, a barrier erupted around the man, barely giving him any room to move.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the man yelled as he looked up at the monster.
"It's a shame you've chosen to renege on our partnership, doctor."
And with that, the barrier began to enclose.
"You can't do this!"
Before he could properly retaliate, the barrier stopped before dissipating entirely, leaving the doctor both relieved and shocked.
"Luckily for you, I still need your expertise." Gyoro Gyoro spoke as he looked down on the man, both figuratively and literally.
'Of course she needs me to operate anti-esper technology. Without me, Solaria will eventually get free!' He reminded himself, though he gritted his teeth at the monster for essentially threatening his life.
"You can do what you will with Solaria after and only after the day is won, just as we agreed. I'll even be generous and hand you what's left of Tatsumaki as a bonus after I am through with her."
Gyoro Gyoro's eye narrowed as he put the pressure on, "Try to disobey me again, and you will become another sacrifice to Lord Orochi, am I understood?"
"Yes," he gritted out.
"Excellent. Now that it appears you are now a subordinate, I have taken the liberty of assigning you a guard."
Just then, Dr. Psycho turned around and looked up to find Fuhrer Ugly standing before him.
"Eh, what's up, Doc?" The Ugmon was greeted with a grin filled with misshapen teeth.
Dr. Psycho said nothing as he noticed one of Gyoro Gyoro's drones perched on the monster's shoulder.
He turned back to Gyoro Gyoro with an expression that said, "Message received."
"You are dismissed," the Cyclops intoned, and he watched as the two left before closing his eye to tap into the drone system.
'Now how are things progressing?'
It didn't take long for his sensors to get a ping.
For some reason, this particular section of the base showed an abundance of electronic activity. To that end, Child Emperor was making steady progress with his route. He'd encountered a few monsters, but they were easily dispatched and hardly worth mentioning in the face of the objective.
'I'm close.'
*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP*
'Right here.'
Absently, he dropped a Mini Octotank No. 9 to act as a sentry and made his way to the heavy steel door with a control pad that took him seconds to bypass with his hacking tool. With a loud sound, the steel door slid away to reveal a laboratory, and a rather advanced one at that.
'Is this what you wanted me to see, doctor?'
His eyes were immediately drawn to the centerpiece of the room, where a large metal slab contained the disassembled pieces of the robot, publically known as 'Metal Knight.'
'Dr. Bofoi mentioned the Monster King dealt with the Metal Knight unit himself, but... His thoughts trailed off as he swallowed a bit.
The sight of his former mentor's most prized robot sitting on the table disassembled with visible damages made the boy feel nervous. As the doctor's former protégé, he understood what went into its creation and could only guess the kind of power that would allow something to destroy it. It's one thing to be told something and another to see it before his eyes, and right now, Child Emperor has reaffirmed his earlier thoughts of not wanting to meet the Monster King in battle.
'I'll leave that monster to the likes of Tatsumaki and One-Punch Man.'
His backpack opened, revealing several tools for scanning and information gathering.
"Time to get to work."
Minutes Later…
Child Emperor went over everything he could find in the lab, and his investigation told him two things.
First, "whoever did this knew what they were doing and was very thorough."
The robot was carefully disassembled with each individual part analyzed before going through some form of stress testing, all without incurring further damage. He even detected hints of tampering with the software to prevent anti-tampering measures.
'Or maybe the doctor just decided not to activate them in the first place.'
It was risky, but he could see the doctor taking the risk as it enabled him to the pathfinder system to get a detailed map of the lower levels of the base.
'Which he didn't bother sharing with us!'
Child Emperor resisted the urge to let out a growl of frustration and instead used the information to update the shared map currently being used by them.
'I don't understand that man.'
Taking thoughts away from his infuriating past mentor, Child Emperor focused on the matter at hand, namely the mystery behind who took Metal Knight apart.
'Whoever did this to Metal Knight went through all this trouble, but to what end? And who would even have the capability of doing this?'
The immediate answer would be Gyoro Gyoro; however, from the information he gathered about the research itself and the methodology, it seemed unlikely. Gyoro Gyoro, for all intents and purposes, seemed more of a biologist and geneticist with a focus on monster-related research.
His mind jumped to the next most plausible answer based on the information that came from the email.
'Could it be that organization? ' he thought with some alarm.
The Child Emperor knew of the Organization from his time under Dr. Bofoi, but only in so much as one knew of local legends. Unfortunately, not even his former mentor had much information about them other than that they are vast, their roots run deep, and they primarily deal in robotics. He didn't even know its actual name and could only refer to it as the Organization.
'Their involvement might be a pretty good reason why Dr. Bofoi chose not to involve himself any further. They might arguably pose an even bigger threat to him than the existence of the Monster Association and the Monster King itself.'
After all, monsters, no matter how strong, can be killed with the right kind of firepower; however, the same cannot be said for an organization capable of analyzing and creating countermeasures for said firepower. And to prove his point, Child Emperor found notes for killer robots based on Metal Knight's design.
'This pretty much confirms their involvement, I think.'
Or not, but frankly, for all that the Monster Association had accomplished, Child Emperor couldn't fathom them being able to do all this with the Metal Knight unit after only a few short days following its capture.
"This is Child Emperor. I've found the remains of Metal Knight. I haven't confirmed it yet, but you might encounter robots with the same designs."
Naturally, many of his fellow heroes commented on this, though it was more that they didn't like the idea of monsters using human weapons against them rather than having to fight Metal Knight-lites.
"I'm not sure if they even made these things, and even then, they shouldn't have had enough time to make a one-to-one remake of Metal Knight. From what I've gathered, the designs are actually pretty rudimentary. It shouldn't be a problem for anyone, but I'm uploading information on their weaknesses just in case."
During this transfer, he was alerted to the destruction of the 'Mini Octotank' and left outside to act as a sentry.
'Did I trip something while I was investigating? Well, it's not like I was being subtle.'
He stepped out of the laboratory and into the hallway, where he beheld a foe that gave him pause.
"Sensors detected an intruder bypassing the security pad to gain unauthorized entry into a temporary research laboratory and tampering with a source of valuable data."
The machine monstrosity was reminiscent of a samurai with two sheathed katanas towered over Child Emperor who showed no outward reaction to his presence.
"You are a hero," it said with a hand sliding a katana out of its sheath "don't bother giving me your name; I will eliminate you immediately."
And it went to do just that, however, before it could take another step.
"You are G5, correct?" Child Emperor spoke, "the 'Machine God' battle robot?"
The robot paused "you know of me?"
"I know that there was a 'G4' robot that tried to attack One-Punch Man but got defeated by Demon Cyborg not too long ago. I know that its design philosophy is reminiscent of the battle suits worn by the criminal gang called 'Paradise Group' led by the former criminal Hammerhead. I know about several more incidents that happened over the years involving sketchy tech from an unknown source that no one seems to have any information on."
During his spiel, the Child Emperor reached into his pocket with deliberate slowness to take out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and took a bite.
"What I don't know is why the Organization chose to ally itself with the Monster Association."
"I see," G5's eye flashed, "you know too much."
With those words the robot suddenly lunged at the young hero with Katana poised to stab him in the face, only to be met with resistance in the form of a transparent barrier, halting its charge mere centimeters from its target.
Unperturbed by the resistance, G5 spoke, its mechanical voice carrying a tone of finality.
"I will eliminate you."
Child Emperor, for his part, did not outwardly react, even as the transparent film he dubbed 'Invisible Wall' he secretly deployed during his spiel strained against the might of the 'Machine God.'
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
The sound of metal tapping concrete alerted a group of monsters to a darkened corner where they could make out a silhouette.
"Who's that?" one of them asked.
The tension rose as the figure finally made it into the light. Metal Bat swaggered forward with his signature weapon pristine, save for the flecks of blood.
"It's one of the heroes! Kill him!" another screamed before the top half of its head vanished in a brutal display of gore.
The hero did not wait another moment and bashed the other monsters dead before leaping back just as the wall beside him exploded with sharpened tentacles, revealing a monster whose large body was funnily enough shaped like a wreck consisting of three eyes, jagged teeth, and tentacles.
"It's time for you to die!" The monster growled as it pulled itself through the hole in the wall and lunged at the hero.
*Smash*
*Splat*
A single upward swing and the monster's destroyed body hit the ceiling, looking like a large, overripe tomato.
Metal Bat continued forward without sparing it another glance.
Metal Bat was a man on a mission, and it wasn't just to wreck shit, though you wouldn't think that given the trail of utter destruction he left in his wake. It was convenient that causing general chaos was part of the mission since the results of his rampage were just as much him letting off some steam as it was completing the objective.
Needless to say, while his and Tank Top Master's recovery came as a pleasant surprise to most, not everyone was happy to see them. Specifically Amai Mask was very critical of their performance which landed them in the hospital in the first place, especially his. The idol hero held him personally responsible for Solaria's kidnapping. Never mind that he was ambushed by multiple Demon-level monsters and freaking Elder Centipede (who previously survived a previous battle against Blast, took on Silver Fang, his equally powerful brother and Demon Cyborg all at once before One-Punch Man himself had to step in) before contending with Garou while severely injured.
To Amai Mask, those were just poor excuses, and he should be ashamed to even call himself a 'hero' let alone one of the S-Class. Needless to say, he didn't want Metal Bat to be part of the raid, though that obviously wasn't going to happen. It's all hands on deck, and no matter how he failed in this one instance, he was still an S-Class hero.
Yet even with the assurances of everyone, from his fellow heroes to the executives and even his little sister, Metal Bat couldn't help but feel that Amai Mask was right. In the end, he did fail, and no excuse, even the legitimate ones, could change that fact. What's done is done, and Metal Bat accepted this, but at the same time, having his failure shoved in his face by some pretty boy idol hero wannabe who as far as he knew didn't even do real hero work absolutely pisses him off.
And when he's pissed, there's really only one thing that can calm him down: smashing.
Unfortunately…
'Wailing on these weak ass monsters ain't doing nothing for me.'
He would have sighed, but he was too worked up, regardless of the lack of challenge.
"There he is!" A group of monsters lunged at him in what must have been the seventh ambush attempt.
At least he was keeping busy.
"Is he even human?"
The warbled voice had him turn towards yet another group of monsters. The one who spoke flinched at his gaze, and he could see the apprehension written all over the rest. Yet unlike the ones before, they did not immediately attack him.
'Whatever' he thought, gripping his bat and getting ready for the slaughter.
Seeing this, one of the monsters hastily raised its hands and said, "Wait, we're not here to fight you!"
Metal Bat clearly didn't give a damn and charged right at him.
The monster flinched and got out. "We need your help to kill that thing!"
*Whoosh*
The reinforced bat halted mere inches from its face, creating a small force of wind that it recoiled in fright.
"Eeek!"
Ignoring its fearful shriek, Metal Bat spoke, "the hell you talking about?"
Unfortunately, the monster to whom he was speaking hadn't quite recovered, so he turned to another.
"Well? One of you better explain, or I'm going to start smashing!"
And to prove his point, Metal Bat did a one-handed swing on the insensate monster who was only just coming back to his senses from his near brush with death, pulping its body and splattering its innards on the floor.
The message received was that the monster frantically pointed with one of its claws, "this way! It's this way!"
After flicking the gore off his weapon, Metal Bat rested it on his shoulder as he followed "lead the way."
And so Metal Bat followed the fearful monster, the whole group piquing his interest. As they walked, the relatively small group of monsters seemed to increase, turning into a procession of sorts. On the surface, Metal Bat seemed unconcerned; however, he kept his eyes peeled for any monster with special abilities or one of the higher-ranking members identified. He was taking a huge risk with this, but a combination of his past aimless wanderings and genuine curiosity managed to convince him.
The monsters seem to whisper amongst themselves about something that is seemingly terrorizing them.
They took twists and turns that had them delving deeper into the base in a way that Metal Bat admitted he wouldn't have done on his own, even with the map. He didn't have the patience to figure it out, especially in his state of mind.
'If they want to make my job easier, that's fine with me.'
Eventually, he was led to a section of the base that was significantly different from the bland hallways. This seemed more extravagant, with a fancy archway, candelabra torches lighting the corners, and an actual red carpet on the floor.
'Fancy' he noted, looking at the red carpet, which led to a set of massive steel doors.
He also noted that a new set of monsters stood on either side of the red carpet, making a path for him. All of them sported grins of anticipation on their ugly mugs.
"Your opponent is waiting for you behind those doors," one stated.
"We won't be attacking you; we're just here to watch the slaughter."
"It's totally fine if you win."
'So not the typical ambush then?'
He didn't know if the monsters were being genuine here, but Metal Bat could at least tell that whatever was behind the door would be strong.
"Alright."
Completely unconcerned with being surrounded on all sides, he strode forward, and Spartan kicked the doors open to reveal pitch darkness.
*Fwoosh*
Suddenly, torches are lit up around the room, though Metal Bat's gaze was on the ceiling, immediately pinpointing the predatory gaze peering at him.
'A bat?'
The 'bat' fell to the ceiling, opening its wings to reveal a humanoid dressed in fancy old-time clothes.
"The hell are you supposed to be, some kind of vampire?" Metal Bat couldn't help but say this as he remembered a few movies he and his sister used to watch on the subject.
The monster smiled at him, revealing numerous needle-like teeth. "Oh, so you are familiar with my illustrious race?"
It was more like his sister went through a phase of being obsessed with them after watching that one movie featuring Amai Mask as a vampire.
'…and now I'm pissed.'
His weapon tapped his palm in preparation for a fight. Meanwhile, the monsters filed in from outside as they began to jeer both of them, expressing their dislike for either and looking forward to the fight. The bloodlust in the room was palpable, and as the last monster came in, the door was shut and bolted to prevent anyone else from entering.
"It looks like they really want you dead. You got into an argument or something?"
Not that he cared much, but it was peculiar how much they seemed to dislike the guy.
"They're just envious of me. Nothing but a bunch of worthless insects vying for power but unable to bridge the gap between their betters, so they rely on petty tricks."
"An S-Class hero with high combat capabilities and a vile vampire who devours his fellow monsters," one of the monsters said, "whichever one of you dies is good news for us."
And just like that, their plans came to light, not that it was hard to figure out. They want the two to fight, and whoever wins, they gang up on them.
"Never mind those insects; I'll dispose of them later," the vampire said, addressing him, "so you're one of the so-called S-Rank heroes, hm? You don't seem like much. What kind of hero are you?"
In response, Metal Bat snorted, "What is this, a meet-n-greet?" He leveled a glare at the vampire. "I came here to save a hostage and smash some monsters, and I don't see any hostages."
The vampire looked unimpressed. "Hmph, how droll."
In a burst of speed, the vampire appeared behind the young hero with his maw open wide.
"You'll at least make a decent meal."
*Snap*
Fangs chomped on air as Metal Bat deftly ducked the vampire's attempted bite, much to the vampire's surprise, and in that same breath, swung his weapon at the monster's face.
'Fast' the vampire thought as he narrowly avoided getting his teeth smashed in by leaping away.
"I ain't going to be no one's lunch freak!" The Metal Bat snarled and lunged after the vampire.
"Oh-ho," the vampire's red eyes sparkled with interest as he deftly avoided the hero's swings, practically dancing as he did, "you're a bit better than the other humans I've encountered; however, you lack any semblance of grace."
Metal Bat grunted as he swung into and through the vampire, who seemingly vanished momentarily, shocking the hero.
The words caused Metal Bat to look at his weapon and find the vampire standing on top of it.
"I should expect nothing less from such a lowly species," the vampire finished, and before the hero could react, he delivered a brutal kick to the face that sent the hero flying.
Admittedly, he didn't get far, merely a few dozen feet before the hero halted his momentum.
"Still alive? That kick would have torn the heads of most humans and monsters alike."
Metal Bat now has a small bruise on the side of his face, spat to the side.
"Is that what you were trying to do? Cause I ain't feeling shit."
Once again, the vampire gave a fang-filled grin. "So there is more to you than meets the eye. Very well, allow me to enlighten you, for I am."
The vampire cut himself off as Metal Bat was suddenly upon him, his weapon already halfway swinging towards his face.
"Don't care, get smashed," the hero stated as his weapon came dangerously close to hitting the monster.
Shocked, the vampire managed to avoid his strike as well as the follow-ups.
'He's faster,' the vampire noted, as he dodged the attacks with more difficulty than before.
One particular dodge had him snake around to the hero's back, manifest one of his bat-like wings, and slash it forward like a blade at his blind spot. Whether through instincts or luck, Metal Bat saw through the attack and managed to block it by spinning the bat in a reverse grip. He then leapt back into a shoulder charge that caught the vampire in the chest, and as the monster staggered back, Metal Bat swung his weapon at the open monster.
*Clang*
Only to be met by a second razor wing and the vampire's cocky smirk, "as I was saying."
Undeterred, the hero continued his onslaught, though he was met with heavy resistance in the form of the two bladed wings. All the while, the vampire continued to speak.
"Unlike these fakes in the association, I am a true monster, a direct descendant of a noble line of vampires. The blood coursing through my veins contains extraordinary powers. For example…"
The intense melee that had been happening while the vampire spoke came to an abrupt end when the monster's form suddenly turned into mist, causing Metal Bat to swing his weapon through him.
The S-Class hero's eyes widened, but before he could react, the vampire's form gained tangibility and clawed the hero's face. With a growl, Metal Bat swung at the vampire, only for him to once again miss when the monster went intangible.
*Slash*
Once again, Metal Bat suffered another claw attack on his upper arm and another across his back that caused him to stagger.
'Slippery bastard, the delinquent thought to himself as he leapt away to gain distance.
The vampire made no move to follow and instead contented himself with licking the blood off his claws and savoring the flavor.
"How invigorating!" the monster exclaimed with a delighted grin as his beady red eyes danced. "I will enjoy feasting on your innards, boy."
"You better savor that blood, 'cause you ain't getting another scratch off me again." Metal Bat intoned as he straightened up his posture, popped his neck, and gripped the handle of his weapon tightly.
The vampire laughed mockingly at the hero. "I will admit that you are strong for a human, which is more than I can say for the rest of your life, but that's just all it is."
Once again, his body transformed into mist, and Metal Bat's eyes widened before twirling his weapon one-handed with enough speed that it looked like a propeller and directing it towards the mist. Suddenly, the vampire was hit with a strong, continuous gust of wind that scattered his misty body.
The vampire once again reformed further away.
'That was close; my body was almost dispersed.'
"So it seems you're also a bit clever." The vampire cut himself as he turned his gaze towards the hero, only to find him already within striking range with his weapon mid-swinging towards his head.
With his mind racing in shock, the vampire could only raise his forearms in a hasty block.
*CRACK*
The sound of bones breaking echoed over the cheers and jeers of the other monsters.
"Gah!" the vampire yelled out in pained shock as his arms were snapped with the bones sticking out.
While the vampire crashed in a heap near a few monsters who made jokes at his expense, he only paid minor attention to them as his gaze focused on the hero, who continued his charge for a follow-up. The vampire got to his feet and once again turned to mist, allowing the bat to pass through him. He reformed behind the hero, poised to take a bite, only for the pummel of the bat to slam into his nose with a meaty crunch, breaking it.
"Guh!" As the vampire stumbled back from the blow, disoriented and in pain, a swing to the leg snapped his knee at the side, then a forward thrust caved in his chest, doubling him over, before an overhead swing to the back of the head sent him into the floor, creating a face-shaped hole.
Metal Bat went to swing on his downed enemy again, only for the vampire to once again change into mist.
"Tch, that shit's getting really old."
The vampire reformed near the monster, who incidentally made that one joke, and proceeded to lift it over his head and rip it in half. As blood and innards rained down on him, the vampire opened his mouth to take his fill. Metal Bat noted that even the blood that didn't make it into his mouth soaked into his clothes, which too began to regenerate along with his injuries.
In a matter of seconds, the vampire looked like he hadn't received any injuries at all.
"Feh"
*Crash*
The bat left cracks on the floor, and he turned to glare at the vampire, who glared in turn, though his eyes were more considering.
"You're strong for a human and that weapon," he trailed off while flexing his jaw, but grinned anyway.
One strike had Metal Bat feinting then catching the vampire off guard with a reverse thrust, slamming the butt of his weapon into the vampire's face.
The vampire, upon hearing it, touched the injury and grew infuriated.
"Don't get cocky!"
He was met with heavy resistance as bat met razor wing. The vampire found himself once again taken off guard by the hero's strength as the blow was so heavy that it sent a tremor through the monster. Metal Bat proceeded to block a second-wing attack before grabbing the appendage and pulling the vampire forward. The hero swung down, forcing the vampire to use his hands to block.
*Crack*
"Gah!"
The sound of broken bones echoed as the vampire's arms were summarily broken and he was forced to his knees.
'This human-' the vampire thought in a mixture of pain, bewilderment, and anger.
Metal Bat went in for another swing; however, the vampire once again seemingly teleported away.
"Getting real sick and tired of that vanishing trick."
The vampire paid no heed to his words and instead grabbed the nearest blood sack and drained it to heal himself. The entire time, he kept his eye on the human, who turned towards him with a look that irked the vampire to no end. And combined with the memory of the beating he just received, it served to drive him over the edge.
"You cur! How dare you!"
With that yell, the vampire's body dissolved into a swarm of bats that flew towards the hero.
CRIMSON SWARM!
In response, the delinquent hero clicked his teeth, gripped his bat, and spun.
SAVAGE TORNADO!
The swarm of bats met a wall of spinning bludgeoning strikes that resulted in an almost accurate representation of putting tomatoes in a blender. No matter how hard he tried or from which angle, the vampire could not get a single bat to so much as touch the hero. Even worse, the spinning created a vacuum effect that sucked in the swarm, preventing them from escaping.
The other monsters panicked as the moving tornado sucked in a few unfortunate enough to be close, causing them to give the unnatural disaster a wider berth. Fortunately for the vampire, the few monsters that did get sucked in incidentally acted as meatshields, allowing a few of the bats to escape and dive into the nearest group of monsters in a frenzy of blood and screaming.
Metal Bat stopped his attack just as the vampire reformed himself amongst half a dozen monster corpses, completely drained of blood. The vampire looked absolutely livid as he pinned the hero with his crimson bloodshot eyes.
"You're nothing but an inferior species that has to rely on tools!"
"Well, this 'inferior species' is about to beat your pasty ass." With that, he rolled his shoulder and raised his bat in a mockery of a standard fencing pose. "So come and take your licks."
The vampire's reply was to let out a snarling shriek before charging him, while the hero transitioned his fencing pose to a standard batting one.
"Batter up"
Minutes Later...
The surrounding monsters, whose numbers have visibly dwindled, watched in muted shock, awe, and fear at the spectacle. The cheers and jeers had settled into abject silence, with only the sound of metal hitting flesh, squelching noises, the occasional audible breaking of bones, labored grunts, and screams that turned into groans of pain.
"Phew" Metal Bat straightened up, wiping the sweat from his brow, and let out a harsh breath.
Aside from a thin layer of sweat over his skin, splotches of blood on his clothes, and a few miscellaneous scratches, he didn't even notice the S-Class hero held no new injuries, keeping to his word. His opponent, on the other hand, was in stark contrast; no longer the immaculately dressed pale fiend he started out as, the vampire lay at Metal Bat's feet, a bloody, mangled mess.
There wasn't a single bone that wasn't broken; blood pooled under his body, and even a few bats lay pulped nearby.
"H-how…is this…possible…!?" gargled the twitching half-dead 'true' monster.
Despite the power held by his inherently superior race and the ability to regenerate by draining the other monsters, the vampire was not able to grasp an advantage over the hero. His abilities were either met with equal force, straight up overcome, or negated by the human, and what's even worse, as the fight went on, the gap only seemed to widen further as the human became stronger, faster, and more resilient.
He's never encountered anyone like the young man in all the centuries of his life before he went to sleep.
"Humans weren't…this strong…centuries…ago…"
Metal Bat, for his part, raised his bat like an executioner's blade.
"Welcome to the future."
With that, he ignored the last-minute pleading and smashed open the vampire's skull like a watermelon.
In the silence that ensued, a lone voice chattered unsurely, "Is it over?"
Metal Bat raised his weapon, flicking the gore off, and began walking away, allowing the monsters to get a closer look.
After a moment, one of them said, "He stopped moving; guess he's dead."
With that confirmation, they all gained more confidence as they derided his performance.
"Tch, all that boasting, and he couldn't even beat a single hero."
"So much for his 'noble blood' or whatever."
"True monster my ass!" another sneered as it kicked the vampire's remains.
"Idiot,"
Another louder voice suddenly cut through the jeers: "Hey, where do you think you're going?"
With that, every monster now had their attention turned to Metal Bat, heading towards the door.
"Did you think we were going to give you a break?"
Metal Bat leaned his weapon against the door.
"Sorry to say, but you're going to have to fight all of us now~" another cooed mockingly.
He then proceeded to twist the metal bar around the door handles like a pretzel.
The group of monsters that were slowly encircling him like prey paused in confusion at the action.
"What is he doing?"
After giving the door a few jostles and seeing it not budge, I said, "alright that should do it."
"Idiot, all you've done is trap yourself!"
That got his attention enough to turn towards the group of monsters with gimlet eyes and a thuggish "huuuh? What the hell are you yapping about?"
The monsters collectively flinched as pressure bore down on them.
"I ain't locked in here with you."
Metal Bat grabbed his weapon and turned fully to face them.
"You're all locked in here with me!"
.
.
.
.
*CRASH*
A few minutes later, the steel doors were blown off their hinges, allowing Metal Bat to swagger out, sporting a few more scratches, a few more scrapes, and a lot more blood but otherwise looking no worse for wear. In fact, he seemed to have lost much of the tension in his shoulders as he stretched and rolled them.
"Nothing like smashing some monsters to get the flow," he said, giving another satisfied sigh as his shoulders popped. "Alright, I'm all fired up after that warm-up now! Where to next?"
The young hero then proceeded to sprint down the corridor, his fighting spirit sufficiently burning as he headed for the next challenge.
I'd usually do a Patreon plug but there is no advance chapters posted at the moment. Some stuff is going on, discovered Questionable Questing recently and am now working on porting all my stories over there plus a hurricane is going to hit later today and I have no idea how screwed I am.
That's bad (m'kay) but in my defense I've been writing the story under the pretense that people don't read the OPM manga or at the very least haven't read it in a while (I don't acknowledge the existence of the second season of the anime). Regardless I've heard your critique and I will endeavor to no longer rehash the canon events.
Thing is this kind of revelation comes at a time in the OPM story where there are so many moving parts it's hard to keep track of and I've added to that chaos through the actions of my OC SI and friends. I've essentially written myself into a clusterfuck of a wall here and I have to spend a significant amount of time dismantling the bricks to see the end of it. It doesn't help that I've been neglecting this story too.
Point is, don't call this chapter a comeback so much as its me trying to get reacquainted with the story.
~O~
"Thanks to Miss Tatsumaki, we've been able to save time getting to our destination" Child Emperor announced.
What he failed to mention was that while Tatsumaki's wide-scale attack cleared the way for the strike force to continue unopposed, she also ended up destroying the drones he had been using to monitor the area. As annoyed as he was at the destruction of his drones, he'd much prefer this outcome. While he would never discount the efficiency and speed with which his fellow S-Class heroes could dispatch the monsters, the same couldn't be said for the lower-ranked heroes. He very much doubted they would hide behind the S-Class and let them take care of the monsters.
So at the very least Tatsumaki saved them time, energy, and the potential for injuries, as slim as the chances are.
'Besides, I doubt there won't be more monsters showing up, even with what we have planned.'
Shaking his head of those thoughts, he looked to the holographic display on his wrist-mounted device shaped like a watch. Thankfully, he still has pre-recorded satellite data images as well as the information from the drones before they were destroyed, enabling him to pinpoint where they are supposed to go. After reaffirming their positions through the trackers embedded in the earpiece as well as checking on the other teams, lingering on Silver Fang and Amai Mask for a moment, the Child Emperor began to address the gathered heroes.
"The surface team will be on standby!"
The moment he spoke, most of the heroes stopped marveling at the admittedly impressive feat of power from Tatsumaki. Said surface team consisted of predominantly A-Class heroes, along with a few notable B-Class heroes with particular sets of skills to aid.
He turned to his fellow S-Class members and said, "Strike team members; assume your individual positions and begin your assault!"
The base they were infiltrating is designed as a series of overlapping tunnels in a relatively short area of space. What he was able to map out gave it the appearance of an intricate tower-esque, maze-like construct on the hologram. It was so vast and intricate that despite entering the base in relatively the same area, each member of the strike team will end up going on completely different routes they can traverse for hours without ever crossing paths with each other.
No doubt, the design was made to confuse and ultimately trap any intruders, allowing them to be picked off in a multitude of ways. In this instance, however, the design would worked to their advantage. The S-Class heroes prefer to work alone, and Atomic Samurai's students work effectively as a three-man cell. This way, they are free to wreak havoc on both enemy numbers and infrastructure without worry.
With the destruction Tatsumaki wrought above ground, they needed to apply some creative methods for generating new paths underground. While the entrances were being made, Sekingar took the time to give a speech. He reminded the strike team that their number one priority was to rescue Director Nova, while for the surface team, he reiterated the absence of reinforcements.
'That's not entirely true' Child Emperor thought.
There were still heroes left back at HQ, though they were to primarily serve as cleanup in the aftermath of this debacle. He can't say that some of them wouldn't eschew the orders given to participate in battle should things not go according to plan.
'I know I wouldn't be satisfied with sitting on the sidelines even if it was the right move to make.'
In any case, the speech was more or less for the benefit of the surface team. Strike Team One understood that their role was to effectively serve as a distraction. As Sekingar wished them luck, all the entrances were finished to allow the 'rescue team' into the Monster Association HQ, including an extra large one for Pig God.
And thus did the heroes begin their mission.
~O~
As well as the Blizzard Group did in infiltrating a restricted section of the Hero Association, especially with the entire base under heavy security via Metal Knight's drones, their luck could only go so far. In this case the moment Fubuki was disconnected from the medical machines her vitals registered a flat line it sent alarm bells ringing throughout the hospital wing.
Once the medical staff made it to her room, they found the esper missing. The doctor in charge sent a frantic message to Sitch, the only other person besides Sekingar privy to the true nature of Fubuki's presence in the hospital wing of the Hero Association. If he were being honest, Sitch heavily disproved Tatsumaki's request to house Fubuki in the HQ.
First, it was wasteful, as Fubuki is a powerful hero who would have been a valuable asset to have participated in the mission.
Second, it was immoral, as what they were doing was tantamount to imprisoning the woman against her will.
Third, it was unnecessary; Fubuki was not helpless in the slightest, and despite some of her shadier dealings, she actually earned her spot as the second-ranked A-class hero.
Hell, with how diligent and driven she is to rise through the ranks, she might even be close to S-Class at this point.
Despite his disapproval, he understood Tatsumaki's position as an older sister protecting her younger sibling. That still didn't give her the right to do this, especially during a crisis of this scale. Deliberately incapacitating their second strongest hero outside of the S-Class at a time when they were already short on numbers is just about one of the dumbest things one could do, especially with the fate of world as they know it on the line.
It is also something that only Tatsumaki could get away with.
Among the S-Class (and that includes Blast), she is the best asset the Hero Association has and the one they are banking on her to succeed should the others fail. Even Sitch agreed that among the S-Class she is the one most liable to get the job done. Despite her personality, Tatsumaki has proven herself to be reliable on multiple levels.
Luckily for the Minister Officer of Justice, neither the culprits behind Fubuki's disappearance nor the not-so-missing esper in question were making it difficult to locate them. It turns out the ones responsible for her 'abduction' were in fact her own subordinates in the Blizzard Group, and far from staying hidden in their 'escape' attempt, they were all walking in plain view of the security cameras, according to the report given to him by a technician he had asked to locate them.
Just in time too, since the entire base was on lockdown, no one was allowed in or out of the building, and the sentry drone was being rather obstinate in not allowing them passage out of one of the main lobby.
Fubuki seemed to be one more warning away from simply destroying the drone and making her way through the door.
Since everyone's attention was on the drone, with most gearing up for a fight, they didn't notice him, and before things could escalate, Sitch made his presence known with a shout.
"Blizzard of Hell!"
Naturally, everyone was surprised by his appearance, given that he was practically the face of the Hero Association executives.
"Mr. Sitch," the 2nd ranked A-Class hero greeted somewhat tersely.
"A word, please."
The esper pursed her lips for a moment before ultimately acquiescing to his request with a nod before turning to her subordinates and saying, "Wait here."
"But Miss Fubuki," called out the youngest of the group,
'Lily of the Three Section Staff, if I recall correctly.'
"I'll be fine," Fubuki reassured, and no one else questioned her as they parted to allow her through.
Sitch didn't take them far, just out of the main lobby away from prying ears.
"I'm glad to see you are doing alright, Fubuki," he addressed using her real name.
For her part, Fubuki folded her arms as she looked down at the man in frustration. "Thankfully, I was able to use my powers to flush the sedatives used to put me under from my systems."
"For the record, I did not approve of what your sister did."
"But you went along with it anyway," she bit back.
"Tatsumaki isn't someone who can be denied easily."
"Or at all in most cases" went unsaid.
"..." she simply stared before turning away with a click of her tongue.
"Where do you plan on going after leaving here?"
"Where do you think?"
Sitch hummed mentally; she was angrier than he thought, given how she was addressing him without the formalities.
"Tatsumaki robbed me of an opportunity to take part in the raid," the A-Class hero continued. "I won't let her selfishness ruin this for me."
Sitch almost sighed at the angle she was taking but wasn't surprised. For all that she was highly regarded in both the public eye and in the Hero Association. Fubuki is what he'd call a 'career hero.' She is someone who did not become a hero for any noble, passionate, or altruistic reasons, which wasn't all that uncommon, unfortunately. Fubuki's case differs from most, however, in the sense that she is very business-minded without it being a gimmick.
He didn't think she saw herself as a hero so much as an employee for a company attempting to work her way to the top. In a relatively short amount of time, she has extensively studied the structure of the Hero Association, found its weaknesses, and made the right connections to exploit it for the benefit of her and her organization. Fubuki was essentially gaming the system, so to speak, with the end result being the coveted S-Class position and all the power, influence, and recognition that came with it.
Sitch didn't approve of her motivation or methods, but he could hardly disparage the results. Not to mention, once again, that there is no doubt that Fubuki would be a major asset in the operation.
At the same time, however,
"Your presence in the strike force is unneeded at the moment."
"You can't be serious." Fubuki unfolded her arms with a look of incredulity. "Are you going to deny my aid in this situation? Are you that afraid of my sister?"
If Sitch were any less of a man, he would have scoffed.
"That's not it," he began "regardless of what your sister demanded, I would have never allowed you to sit this battle out. You're too good to be left on the sidelines."
Despite the tension, he could see her posture straighten and a brief expression of shock and even pride on her face before it was replaced by a milder frown.
"Then why prevent me from participating?"
"By some miracle, all the heroes in one of the branch hospitals recovered. That's almost a dozen A-Class heroes, Tank Top Master and Metal Bat.
"Isn't that more of a reason to have me be there?" She questioned, "Why bother keeping anyone back in the first place when the monsters are holed up in a single area?"
He knew what she was getting at. It basically seemed as if they were sending a relatively small team to face off against an army, which isn't a lie.
"We're not engaging in a protracted battle with the Monster Association. After Director Nova is rescued, the heroes will retreat, allowing Metal Knight or your sister to destroy their base and the surrounding areas."
"You'll destroy City Z?" Fubuki asked in surprise.
"We want to keep the collateral down to just the abandoned district," he supplied. "However, we are having the city evacuated in case things get out of hand," he answered. "We're keeping you as well as the majority of the other heroes here as emergency reserves. We want to be thorough in destroying the Monster Association, and given how they've operated thus far, that means accounting for any stragglers or last-minute surprises the monsters may have in store for us."
Fubuki scowled. What Sitch is saying makes complete sense from a tactical standpoint. However, her pride as well as her resentment towards Tatsumaki won't let her accept it.
Seeing the wealth of emotions playing across her face, Sitch made a decision. "I can't stop you from leaving, but know that I do not recommend it. Child Emperor has meticulously planned this operation with the resources available. Whether your presence on the field will be a boon or spell doom is up in the air. Just know that your interference may result in the mission failing."
Fubuki stared at the shorter man for a long moment before she finally spoke. "Will I be dismissed from the Hero Association for not following your suggestion?"
"No," he said, shaking his head before pinning her with a stern expression that made her stiffen. "As it stands, if your gambit pays off, then your dereliction of my orders will be forgiven, but should your interference result in a failure, then..."
Fubuki nodded "I understand."
"I'm not finished," he interrupted. "I can allow you to go, but the rest of your group will stay here and await further orders."
There were several reasons for this, including their numbers, the fact that most of them don't even meet the criteria for participating in the raid in the first place, and their presence, which will likely hinder the other heroes.
With nod of affirmation she furrowed her brow in thought as she glanced back at where her subordinates were left waiting.
"You can tell them I gave the order for them to stay back, and if they disobey, they will be dismissed from the association, and so will you."
Fubuki's eyes widened because Sitch was not bluffing.
"We have too much riding on this operation for it to fail, Blizzard of Hell," he spoke, and Fubuki swallowed. "I can forgive you disobeying orders to lend assistance because, frankly, I am hard-pressed to see you as anything but an asset to this operation. The same can't be said for your subordinates, and as their leader, you'll be held accountable for their actions. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Once you're finished relaying the news, you'll be escorted through a side entrance."
~O~
The journey of 'Team 2' consisting of Tomoro, Amai Mask, Bang, Bomb, Do-S, Suiryu, and Suiko was not a silent one as the group made their way towards their destination.
"Here," Amai Mask said, handing him a wireless earpiece. "Child Emperor wanted you to have this to help with coordination."
Tomoro accepted the earpiece, and as he fiddled with it, he posed the question, "So what plan did he hatch for this raid?"
"We are to infiltrate the base while the other teams keep the monsters' attention with distractions on multiple fronts. While inside, our primary objective is to find Miss Nova. Along the way, we can further disrupt their operation by any means convenient to the situation."
"So culling their numbers, sabotaging their infrastructure, gathering intel, and just causing general mayhem?"
"Yes," Amai Mask nodded, "but the main focus should be on Miss Nova's rescue."
"Well, I think it's safe to say this team is overkill for a simple rescue operation, and there are still some important side objectives that need to be taken care of while we're in there."
Amai Mask did not like the sound of that "what?"
"I'm sure Child Emperor briefed you on what else is inside that base that we can't let get away in the ensuing chaos."
Of course, Amai Mask knew what he meant. The Monster Association was not dangerous only because of the size, strength, and organization of its members. At the head of the organization lies someone who engaged in dangerous research and managed to partner with other villainous organizations as well. Hence, gathering general intelligence is one of the sub-objectives.
And so, with gritted teeth, he replied, "I am aware."
"Hey, don't you worry, your pretty little head off, between the seven of us, Solaria's safety is all but assured," Tomoro reassured, and capped off with a hearty pat on the A-Class hero's back, which in turn earned him a death glare of epic proportions.
"My brother and I will be pursuing Garou," Bang reminded.
"And I'll be going with them to ensure they don't get lost" Tomoro added.
"We don't need an escort," Bomb grumbled.
"Alright, then I'm sure you know how to work with the communicator to keep in contact."
"…"
Bang shook his head. "I understand your worries about communication but is it wise to leave the others by themselves?"
Tomoro pointed at Amai Mask, "Well, he seems hell bent on finding Solaria, and I pity anyone who stands in his way." He then pointed to the two siblings, "And with the heroes taking care of the major threats, I trust in their ability to handle anything else that comes their way."
"Then who will the young lady be accompanying?" He said this while gesturing to Do-S.
The silent monster girl gave an imperceptible flinch at their attention, or rather, at the attention of a certain idol hero whose gaze was practically piercing.
"Ideally I would have preferred her sticking with Suiryu and Suiko" Tomoro admitted "safety in numbers and all but-"
"The monster is coming with me," Amai Mask declared with a tone that brokered no argument.
Tomoro met his eyes for a moment before turning to the siblings and asking, "Is that alright with you?"
Suiryu shrugged. "I'm fine with it. We were just going to ask around for where they're keeping the monster cells anyway."
"We can handle that" Suiko added, hitting a fist into her palm.
Despite the casualness of their words, they both held expressions of focused determination to go with their confidence. Tomoro was glad for their confidence as well as their determination. They both seem to have something to prove, but Suiryu more so.
'I guess he's looking to redeem himself for how he performed at the Super Fight Tournament' Tomoro smirked, 'I approve; don't disappoint me you two.'
He then turned to the only person whose opinion he hadn't gotten.
"What about you? Are you alright with tagging along with Mr. Idol here?"
Do-S maintained a straight face, refusing to so much as glance at the idol in question as she answered nonchalantly.
"It doesn't matter who I end up going with."
'…She's says with red tinted cheeks under her mask.'
Tomoro could only silently shake his head at how down bad the monster woman was.
Moments later, they arrived at their destination, and after ensuring that each group had a communication device, Tomoro destroyed the surveillance drone at the entrance before they all went about completing their mission.
~O~
"Is there a problem?"
Gyoro Gyoro directed the question to the group of monsters gathered before him. All of them were below the Demon disaster level and didn't even have any interesting or useful abilities to compensate for their lack of power, thus relegating them to 'fodder' in the psychic monster's mind.
"You all seemed so eager to go out and fight the heroes that I had to order them to stay back, and now that I am finally allowing you to go, you're all getting cold feet."
The monsters quivered in fear under the gaze of one of the Monster Association's top members, but one of them gathered their courage to speak out for the group.
"It's not like that Lord Gyoro Gyoro-"
"They're just too strong!" another monster shouted interrupting the first then flinched when attention was put on him.
One brazenly came forth: "We thought we could overwhelm them with numbers, but everyone who went before us died so easily!"
"Are you afraid of death?"
"That's-"
"Of course we're prepared to risk our lives, but what's the point of fighting the heroes if we're just going to die without doing anything!?"
Gyoro Gyoro looked contemplatively down at the monsters before humming out loud, "I see what the issue is. What you witnessed was the power of the second-ranked S-Class hero, Tornado of Terror."
At this information, the monsters gasped and murmured amongst themselves.
"That was caused by a single hero!?"
"So that's the power of the S-Class?"
"We are so screwed!"
Gyoro Gyoro leveled some of his intent on the crowd, causing them to quiet down.
"As of this moment, the S-Class heroes are wandering the base leaving only the weaker heroes on the surface for you to slaughter."
His words caused the fear in the group to be significantly lessened and soon they gained back their enthusiasm. With a few more words of encouragement along with the oh-so-subtle threat of violence, he sent the group of hapless and bloodthirsty minions away. Truly, their chances of survival are only marginally better against the heroes on the surface, but Gyoro Gyoro didn't care much for fodder.
'Victory is assured so long as the S-Class fall' thought the Monster Association advisor, 'and speaking of, it appears my hypothesis was correct.'
With Child Emperor's drones snooping around the base, with at least one making it to almost all the entrances, Gyoro Gyoro figured the heroes would attack on multiple fronts in an attempt to spread their forces thin.
'A simple strategy worthy of a child' he internally scoffed 'not that they had many options to begin with.'
That's why he set up drones at every conceivable entrance and made sure to pay extra attention to them even as he surveyed the main points of interest. His precaution ended up fruitless, as one of the drones ended up being destroyed. It happened almost instantaneously, but not before he caught a glimpse of the intruders. To his surprise, he actually recognized most of them, though the surprise came more from the group itself than the individuals.
Of course, he recognized Silver Fang and his brother Bomb, as well as Amai Mask. He even recognized Suiryu, the three-time Super Fight champion that Gouketsu showed some interest in. The unknown girl bore some resemblance to the young martial artist he surmised as his sibling, as he was stated to have one from the background check Gyoro Gyoro did to ascertain Suiryu's potential danger.
The pair of siblings' presence here was confusing, as it was surprising, though they made more sense than the only female of the group, who had Gyoro Gyoro's eye narrow.
'So that's where you've been, Do-S.'
Being a peculiar monster with an even more interesting ability, Do-S was one who Gyoro Gyoro kept his eye on, even among the other Demon-level monsters. The ability to mind control someone is one that could have many applications. Recent events have shown him this, and despite her failure to take down her objective (Fubuki), Gyoro Gyoro was willing to spare her for her failures.
At least that would have been the case had she returned to base, but she didn't. Gyoro Gyoro entertained only two possibilities as the reason for this. She was either killed following her defeat or she fled in fear of reprisals for her failure. Both reasons are plausible yet improbable on different grounds.
For the former, though Do-S may not have the highest combat capabilities among even the Demon-level monsters, she had high survivability and instincts. It would take no less than an S-Class hero to kill her, and Gyoro Gyoro had them under surveillance during the attack.
As for her running away, both Gyoro Gyoro and Orochi made it very clear to everyone that there is no backing out of the Monster Association. From the highest executives to the lowest fodder, everyone is beholden to the organization and Orochi's (Psykos') vision for a world dominated by monsters.
Gyoro Gyoro knew Do-S understood this because for she was confident in her ability to the point of arrogance and made no small amount of racket about it amongst her fellow monsters when she first arrived. She even went so far as to style herself as the 'Monster Princess' until she got a reality check following the first time she gazed at Orochi.
She hasn't used the moniker since.
But that makes it all the more surprising to Gyoro Gyoro to see her among the humans infiltrating the base.
'She may be a coward at heart, but I didn't figure her for a traitor.'
From what was observed she believes very much in monster supremacy or at the very least human inferiority.
'She wouldn't betray us in such a manner unless forced to, and none of the heroes would think to turn one of our own against us in such a manner.'
They would interrogate her for information and dispose of her afterwards. The fact that she was among their numbers spoke of there being some other element in play here.
And with that thought, his attention went to the only unknown of the group.
'Who is he?'
The man wasn't a person of interest, nor did Gyoro Gyoro ever recall seeing the man at any point during his investigations into the Hero Association or certain persons of interest who could be a threat to the Monster Association. He made sure to be very thorough in his investigations, and at no point can I remember that man.
'Is he a secret weapon of theirs?'
It was mildly disturbing that the Hero Association was able to keep him hidden, and yet...
'He doesn't look like any hero or even an affiliate of the Hero Association. He looks like a random civilian, yet I can't help but feel like there is something more.'
There was more to this man by virtue of him being among the infiltrators. Not to mention in the instant the drone picked up a visual of their entrance Gyoro Gyoro noted that it was the man who caused its destruction. It was so fast that, had Gyoro Gyoro not been focused, he would have missed it.
Again the question of his identity came to mind before a thought occurred which caused Gyoro Gyoro's eye to narrow.
'Solaria'
"I see, so that's the game you're playing," the Cyclops muttered to as he lay back in the massive bean bag chair.
Of course, with how nonchalant she had been about her capture, even after dealing with the doctor's ordeal (according to him), she would have some kind of contingency in place for her rescue outside of the Hero Association itself. It seemed reasonable enough for a woman of her wealth and standing to have agents of her own.
'He must be something special then. I'll have to keep an eye on that group as well.'
Outwardly, Gyoro Gyoro sighed. "In the end, the plan remains the same."
Speaking of which, he could have made a more efficient plan to get rid of the heroes, as this one seemed needlessly theatrical.
But that was the point.
The theatrics of it all, that is.
This battle wasn't just a means to an end.
It was about sending a message.
And what better way to send a message than to have the 'brave heroes' venture through a maze-like base having random 'encounters' and 'ambushes' with fodder they will cut through like a scythe to wheat, thereby lulling them into a false sense of security, their confidence and arrogance at an all-time high before they ultimately end up facing against the true monsters who will break their confidence, arrogance, and all preconceived notions they held about their strength and the strength of their enemies before breaking their bodies and, in turn, their spirit.
That is the ultimate reason for all of this.
'And when all is said and done, I will gather what is left of them and broadcast it to the world. Humanity's greatest and last hope is reduced to utter failures. I will show them; I will show her and savor their anguish before allowing them to die'
"…!"
Suddenly, several presences he'd noticed long before got close enough for him to properly acknowledge by turning his beanbag chair to face them.
'And the main actors of this play arrive~'
From the gloom of the room, I walked in five of the Monster Association's executives, colloquially referred to as Cadres by rank and file. Each of these monsters is a dragon-level threat; each of them, Gyoro Gyoro, is personally sought out for their unique abilities that can counter and overwhelm the best the Hero Association has to offer.
"Ah, you're here."
"You're the one who summoned us." Black Sperm spoke with an annoyed look, "just when I was about to go up and start killing the heroes too."
"I understand your eagerness to take part in the bloodshed; however, it would run counter to my plans."
"And how goes this plan of yours?" Homeless Emperor spoke with folded arms.
"It is going as expected. The heroes have begun their infiltration using multiple entrance points. They should be engaging the ambushes and patrols I've set up."
"Seems like a lot of trouble for nothing," said Fuhrer Ugly while picking his nose with his pinky.
Gyoro Gyoro never told them the details of the plan he had in mind partly because he saw them as nothing more than weapons, perhaps just a step above tools and weapons didn't need to know anything beyond being pointed at a target.
"It's all in the name of gathering data and updating you all on any changes or surprises."
"Not like it's going to change anything," Nyan commented lightly. "In the end, we'll kill them all."
"Furball's got a point." Black Sperm agreed, "All this sitting around doing nothing is a waste of time. Let me at em' I can take on all those S-Class heroes myself."
The worst part is that he might actually be capable of doing it but he didn't need the added ego boost.
"Be that as it may, I won't leave anything to chance. It would be unfortunate if the heroes prepared something at the last minute that ends up being your downfall," Gyoro Gyoro informed with a meaningful yet piercing gaze.
A vein appeared on Black Sperm's white head as he gave a thuggish "huuh?" Then, taking a step forward, he asked a simple question: "Are you looking down on me?"
That single question turned the tension up a notch, but not as much as the sudden appearance of Orochi's partially transformed face coming into view behind the Cyclops. The Monster King said nothing as his yellow eyes, devoid of soul yet radiating power, bore down on the executives to such a degree that they all became agitated in various ways.
Gum's mouth stretched wider as he barred his teeth with the force of an industrial compactor.
Nyan's fur bristled as the pupils of his cat-like eyes contracted.
Fuhrer Ugly stopped picking his nose as his expression became one of focused anticipation.
Homeless Emperor's eyes narrowed as the air around him became slightly electrified.
For his part, Black Sperm met the gaze of the Monster King without a single ounce of fear or worry. They entered a staredown, with the Cadre seemingly giving consideration to attacking the Monster King.
'This is the main reason why I don't share my plans with any of you' Gyoro Gyoro thought with a sigh.
Getting them together was difficult enough to begin with, but even with Gyoro Gyoro's manipulations and the threat of Orochi's power, their compliance mostly hinges on other factors that have nothing to do with either Gyoro Gyoro or Orochi's presence. Gyoro Gyoro is convinced that the only reason any of them don't outright challenge Orochi for the leadership title is a combination of their curiosity about seeing the plan through and their shared hatred of humanity and the heroes that protect them.
Before things could escalate, they were interrupted by the arrival of another Cadre.
"Am I intruding?" Dr. Psycho questioned him as he strolled in with his hands behind his back.
Capitalizing on the lull in tension, Gyoro Gyoro spoke, "No, Doctor. As a matter of fact, you are just in time. I was about to explain to your fellow executives that it has come to my attention that there was an information leak. I have confirmed that the heroes were able to somehow coerce one of our Demon-level members to turn traitor."
This caught the attention of all but Gums, though they didn't seem overly concerned with this turn of events.
"I doubt it will have any bearing on the outcome of your battles, but there is a chance that we've lost the element of surprise, and they might have prepared contingencies, doubtful as that may be."
With a gesture, several bio-drones in the form of eyeballs with batwings attached flew towards each Cadre. Except for Gums, whose drone kept its distance from the walking embodiment of gluttony.
"These drones will keep you informed on updates of the situation as it unfolds. I suggest you use the time to prepare for your enemies' arrival. That is all; you are dismissed."
"Tch" Black Sperm scoffed and stomped out while the others filed out at their own pace, including Orochi, whose head retreated away, leaving Gyoro Gyoro alone with Dr. Psycho.
"Do you have something to report?"
"The boy is ready to be moved."
"And his conditioning?"
"I've done all I could to expedite the brainwashing procedure, and in the process, he has monsterized further, which has helped, but without time to capitalize on this, the best you'll get is a berserker."
Having spent a significant amount of time studying monster transformations in all their forms, Gyoro Gyoro wasn't too surprised that Garou further monsterized from the stress under the doctor's supervision. He was actually counting on it, but his will proved strong enough to delay the brainwashing process so that the breakthrough was rendered moot.
"Truly a shame," Gyoro Gyoro acknowledged while mourning the lost opportunity, "but it will have to do."
It's a shame that Gouketsu fell for multiple reasons.
'He would have been the perfect foil for Silver Fang and his brother, leaving the doctor with more time to work on Garou. Then I would have yet another pawn of Orochi's caliber to work with.'
Dr. Psycho went to leave only for Gyoro Gyoro to interrupt, "And what of Solaria?"
"Sedated for the time being."
"Is that all you have to say?"
The short man's brows furrowed. "What?"
"You were planning to move her against my orders."
His face betrayed nothing; however, he felt a touch of anxiety.
"What are you talking about?"
*THUD*
In response, something landed before the feet of the doctor, causing the man to startle backwards. What lay before him was the mangled corpse of Erebus, his agent, one of the strongest artificial espers of Tsukuyomi, and someone whom he had given the task of setting up a spy network throughout the Monster Association base.
"I find it amusing that you thought you were able to hide your actions from me within my own base of operations."
'Erebus has the ability to conceal his presence from nearly all natural and esoteric senses as well as most sensors. How was he found out?'
A moment later, a barrier erupted around the man, barely giving him any room to move.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the man yelled as he looked up at the monster.
"It's a shame you've chosen to renege on our partnership, doctor."
And with that, the barrier began to enclose.
"You can't do this!"
Before he could properly retaliate, the barrier stopped before dissipating entirely, leaving the doctor both relieved and shocked.
"Luckily for you, I still need your expertise." Gyoro Gyoro spoke as he looked down on the man, both figuratively and literally.
'Of course she needs me to operate anti-esper technology. Without me, Solaria will eventually get free!' He reminded himself, though he gritted his teeth at the monster for essentially threatening his life.
"You can do what you will with Solaria after and only after the day is won, just as we agreed. I'll even be generous and hand you what's left of Tatsumaki as a bonus after I am through with her."
Gyoro Gyoro's eye narrowed as he put the pressure on, "Try to disobey me again, and you will become another sacrifice to Lord Orochi, am I understood?"
"Yes," he gritted out.
"Excellent. Now that it appears you are now a subordinate, I have taken the liberty of assigning you a guard."
Just then, Dr. Psycho turned around and looked up to find Fuhrer Ugly standing before him.
"Eh, what's up, Doc?" The Ugmon was greeted with a grin filled with misshapen teeth.
Dr. Psycho said nothing as he noticed one of Gyoro Gyoro's drones perched on the monster's shoulder.
He turned back to Gyoro Gyoro with an expression that said, "Message received."
"You are dismissed," the Cyclops intoned, and he watched as the two left before closing his eye to tap into the drone system.
'Now how are things progressing?'
~O~
This morning Child Emperor woke up to find an encrypted message from Dr. Bofoi. The message turned out to be a set of instructions 'suggesting' he should take a certain route when entering the base. Seeing he had nothing to lose and knowing the man to be rather cagey when it came to information, as he was secretive and paranoid to a fault, he went along with it.
It didn't take long for his sensors to get a ping.
For some reason, this particular section of the base showed an abundance of electronic activity. To that end, Child Emperor was making steady progress with his route. He'd encountered a few monsters, but they were easily dispatched and hardly worth mentioning in the face of the objective.
'I'm close.'
*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP*
'Right here.'
Absently, he dropped a Mini Octotank No. 9 to act as a sentry and made his way to the heavy steel door with a control pad that took him seconds to bypass with his hacking tool. With a loud sound, the steel door slid away to reveal a laboratory, and a rather advanced one at that.
'Is this what you wanted me to see, doctor?'
His eyes were immediately drawn to the centerpiece of the room, where a large metal slab contained the disassembled pieces of the robot, publically known as 'Metal Knight.'
'Dr. Bofoi mentioned the Monster King dealt with the Metal Knight unit himself, but... His thoughts trailed off as he swallowed a bit.
The sight of his former mentor's most prized robot sitting on the table disassembled with visible damages made the boy feel nervous. As the doctor's former protégé, he understood what went into its creation and could only guess the kind of power that would allow something to destroy it. It's one thing to be told something and another to see it before his eyes, and right now, Child Emperor has reaffirmed his earlier thoughts of not wanting to meet the Monster King in battle.
'I'll leave that monster to the likes of Tatsumaki and One-Punch Man.'
His backpack opened, revealing several tools for scanning and information gathering.
"Time to get to work."
Minutes Later…
Child Emperor went over everything he could find in the lab, and his investigation told him two things.
First, "whoever did this knew what they were doing and was very thorough."
The robot was carefully disassembled with each individual part analyzed before going through some form of stress testing, all without incurring further damage. He even detected hints of tampering with the software to prevent anti-tampering measures.
'Or maybe the doctor just decided not to activate them in the first place.'
It was risky, but he could see the doctor taking the risk as it enabled him to the pathfinder system to get a detailed map of the lower levels of the base.
'Which he didn't bother sharing with us!'
Child Emperor resisted the urge to let out a growl of frustration and instead used the information to update the shared map currently being used by them.
'I don't understand that man.'
Taking thoughts away from his infuriating past mentor, Child Emperor focused on the matter at hand, namely the mystery behind who took Metal Knight apart.
'Whoever did this to Metal Knight went through all this trouble, but to what end? And who would even have the capability of doing this?'
The immediate answer would be Gyoro Gyoro; however, from the information he gathered about the research itself and the methodology, it seemed unlikely. Gyoro Gyoro, for all intents and purposes, seemed more of a biologist and geneticist with a focus on monster-related research.
His mind jumped to the next most plausible answer based on the information that came from the email.
'Could it be that organization? ' he thought with some alarm.
The Child Emperor knew of the Organization from his time under Dr. Bofoi, but only in so much as one knew of local legends. Unfortunately, not even his former mentor had much information about them other than that they are vast, their roots run deep, and they primarily deal in robotics. He didn't even know its actual name and could only refer to it as the Organization.
'Their involvement might be a pretty good reason why Dr. Bofoi chose not to involve himself any further. They might arguably pose an even bigger threat to him than the existence of the Monster Association and the Monster King itself.'
After all, monsters, no matter how strong, can be killed with the right kind of firepower; however, the same cannot be said for an organization capable of analyzing and creating countermeasures for said firepower. And to prove his point, Child Emperor found notes for killer robots based on Metal Knight's design.
'This pretty much confirms their involvement, I think.'
Or not, but frankly, for all that the Monster Association had accomplished, Child Emperor couldn't fathom them being able to do all this with the Metal Knight unit after only a few short days following its capture.
"This is Child Emperor. I've found the remains of Metal Knight. I haven't confirmed it yet, but you might encounter robots with the same designs."
Naturally, many of his fellow heroes commented on this, though it was more that they didn't like the idea of monsters using human weapons against them rather than having to fight Metal Knight-lites.
"I'm not sure if they even made these things, and even then, they shouldn't have had enough time to make a one-to-one remake of Metal Knight. From what I've gathered, the designs are actually pretty rudimentary. It shouldn't be a problem for anyone, but I'm uploading information on their weaknesses just in case."
During this transfer, he was alerted to the destruction of the 'Mini Octotank' and left outside to act as a sentry.
'Did I trip something while I was investigating? Well, it's not like I was being subtle.'
He stepped out of the laboratory and into the hallway, where he beheld a foe that gave him pause.
"Sensors detected an intruder bypassing the security pad to gain unauthorized entry into a temporary research laboratory and tampering with a source of valuable data."
The machine monstrosity was reminiscent of a samurai with two sheathed katanas towered over Child Emperor who showed no outward reaction to his presence.
"You are a hero," it said with a hand sliding a katana out of its sheath "don't bother giving me your name; I will eliminate you immediately."
And it went to do just that, however, before it could take another step.
"You are G5, correct?" Child Emperor spoke, "the 'Machine God' battle robot?"
The robot paused "you know of me?"
"I know that there was a 'G4' robot that tried to attack One-Punch Man but got defeated by Demon Cyborg not too long ago. I know that its design philosophy is reminiscent of the battle suits worn by the criminal gang called 'Paradise Group' led by the former criminal Hammerhead. I know about several more incidents that happened over the years involving sketchy tech from an unknown source that no one seems to have any information on."
During his spiel, the Child Emperor reached into his pocket with deliberate slowness to take out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and took a bite.
"What I don't know is why the Organization chose to ally itself with the Monster Association."
"I see," G5's eye flashed, "you know too much."
With those words the robot suddenly lunged at the young hero with Katana poised to stab him in the face, only to be met with resistance in the form of a transparent barrier, halting its charge mere centimeters from its target.
Unperturbed by the resistance, G5 spoke, its mechanical voice carrying a tone of finality.
"I will eliminate you."
Child Emperor, for his part, did not outwardly react, even as the transparent film he dubbed 'Invisible Wall' he secretly deployed during his spiel strained against the might of the 'Machine God.'
~O~
He stomped his way through the narrow corridor, leaving the brutalized corpses of various monsters and the destruction of the walls as the only evidence of his presence.
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
*Tap*
The sound of metal tapping concrete alerted a group of monsters to a darkened corner where they could make out a silhouette.
"Who's that?" one of them asked.
The tension rose as the figure finally made it into the light. Metal Bat swaggered forward with his signature weapon pristine, save for the flecks of blood.
"It's one of the heroes! Kill him!" another screamed before the top half of its head vanished in a brutal display of gore.
The hero did not wait another moment and bashed the other monsters dead before leaping back just as the wall beside him exploded with sharpened tentacles, revealing a monster whose large body was funnily enough shaped like a wreck consisting of three eyes, jagged teeth, and tentacles.
"It's time for you to die!" The monster growled as it pulled itself through the hole in the wall and lunged at the hero.
*Smash*
*Splat*
A single upward swing and the monster's destroyed body hit the ceiling, looking like a large, overripe tomato.
Metal Bat continued forward without sparing it another glance.
Metal Bat was a man on a mission, and it wasn't just to wreck shit, though you wouldn't think that given the trail of utter destruction he left in his wake. It was convenient that causing general chaos was part of the mission since the results of his rampage were just as much him letting off some steam as it was completing the objective.
Needless to say, while his and Tank Top Master's recovery came as a pleasant surprise to most, not everyone was happy to see them. Specifically Amai Mask was very critical of their performance which landed them in the hospital in the first place, especially his. The idol hero held him personally responsible for Solaria's kidnapping. Never mind that he was ambushed by multiple Demon-level monsters and freaking Elder Centipede (who previously survived a previous battle against Blast, took on Silver Fang, his equally powerful brother and Demon Cyborg all at once before One-Punch Man himself had to step in) before contending with Garou while severely injured.
To Amai Mask, those were just poor excuses, and he should be ashamed to even call himself a 'hero' let alone one of the S-Class. Needless to say, he didn't want Metal Bat to be part of the raid, though that obviously wasn't going to happen. It's all hands on deck, and no matter how he failed in this one instance, he was still an S-Class hero.
Yet even with the assurances of everyone, from his fellow heroes to the executives and even his little sister, Metal Bat couldn't help but feel that Amai Mask was right. In the end, he did fail, and no excuse, even the legitimate ones, could change that fact. What's done is done, and Metal Bat accepted this, but at the same time, having his failure shoved in his face by some pretty boy idol hero wannabe who as far as he knew didn't even do real hero work absolutely pisses him off.
And when he's pissed, there's really only one thing that can calm him down: smashing.
Unfortunately…
'Wailing on these weak ass monsters ain't doing nothing for me.'
He would have sighed, but he was too worked up, regardless of the lack of challenge.
"There he is!" A group of monsters lunged at him in what must have been the seventh ambush attempt.
At least he was keeping busy.
"Is he even human?"
The warbled voice had him turn towards yet another group of monsters. The one who spoke flinched at his gaze, and he could see the apprehension written all over the rest. Yet unlike the ones before, they did not immediately attack him.
'Whatever' he thought, gripping his bat and getting ready for the slaughter.
Seeing this, one of the monsters hastily raised its hands and said, "Wait, we're not here to fight you!"
Metal Bat clearly didn't give a damn and charged right at him.
The monster flinched and got out. "We need your help to kill that thing!"
*Whoosh*
The reinforced bat halted mere inches from its face, creating a small force of wind that it recoiled in fright.
"Eeek!"
Ignoring its fearful shriek, Metal Bat spoke, "the hell you talking about?"
Unfortunately, the monster to whom he was speaking hadn't quite recovered, so he turned to another.
"Well? One of you better explain, or I'm going to start smashing!"
And to prove his point, Metal Bat did a one-handed swing on the insensate monster who was only just coming back to his senses from his near brush with death, pulping its body and splattering its innards on the floor.
The message received was that the monster frantically pointed with one of its claws, "this way! It's this way!"
After flicking the gore off his weapon, Metal Bat rested it on his shoulder as he followed "lead the way."
And so Metal Bat followed the fearful monster, the whole group piquing his interest. As they walked, the relatively small group of monsters seemed to increase, turning into a procession of sorts. On the surface, Metal Bat seemed unconcerned; however, he kept his eyes peeled for any monster with special abilities or one of the higher-ranking members identified. He was taking a huge risk with this, but a combination of his past aimless wanderings and genuine curiosity managed to convince him.
The monsters seem to whisper amongst themselves about something that is seemingly terrorizing them.
They took twists and turns that had them delving deeper into the base in a way that Metal Bat admitted he wouldn't have done on his own, even with the map. He didn't have the patience to figure it out, especially in his state of mind.
'If they want to make my job easier, that's fine with me.'
Eventually, he was led to a section of the base that was significantly different from the bland hallways. This seemed more extravagant, with a fancy archway, candelabra torches lighting the corners, and an actual red carpet on the floor.
'Fancy' he noted, looking at the red carpet, which led to a set of massive steel doors.
He also noted that a new set of monsters stood on either side of the red carpet, making a path for him. All of them sported grins of anticipation on their ugly mugs.
"Your opponent is waiting for you behind those doors," one stated.
"We won't be attacking you; we're just here to watch the slaughter."
"It's totally fine if you win."
'So not the typical ambush then?'
He didn't know if the monsters were being genuine here, but Metal Bat could at least tell that whatever was behind the door would be strong.
"Alright."
Completely unconcerned with being surrounded on all sides, he strode forward, and Spartan kicked the doors open to reveal pitch darkness.
*Fwoosh*
Suddenly, torches are lit up around the room, though Metal Bat's gaze was on the ceiling, immediately pinpointing the predatory gaze peering at him.
'A bat?'
The 'bat' fell to the ceiling, opening its wings to reveal a humanoid dressed in fancy old-time clothes.
"The hell are you supposed to be, some kind of vampire?" Metal Bat couldn't help but say this as he remembered a few movies he and his sister used to watch on the subject.
The monster smiled at him, revealing numerous needle-like teeth. "Oh, so you are familiar with my illustrious race?"
It was more like his sister went through a phase of being obsessed with them after watching that one movie featuring Amai Mask as a vampire.
'…and now I'm pissed.'
His weapon tapped his palm in preparation for a fight. Meanwhile, the monsters filed in from outside as they began to jeer both of them, expressing their dislike for either and looking forward to the fight. The bloodlust in the room was palpable, and as the last monster came in, the door was shut and bolted to prevent anyone else from entering.
"It looks like they really want you dead. You got into an argument or something?"
Not that he cared much, but it was peculiar how much they seemed to dislike the guy.
"They're just envious of me. Nothing but a bunch of worthless insects vying for power but unable to bridge the gap between their betters, so they rely on petty tricks."
"An S-Class hero with high combat capabilities and a vile vampire who devours his fellow monsters," one of the monsters said, "whichever one of you dies is good news for us."
And just like that, their plans came to light, not that it was hard to figure out. They want the two to fight, and whoever wins, they gang up on them.
"Never mind those insects; I'll dispose of them later," the vampire said, addressing him, "so you're one of the so-called S-Rank heroes, hm? You don't seem like much. What kind of hero are you?"
In response, Metal Bat snorted, "What is this, a meet-n-greet?" He leveled a glare at the vampire. "I came here to save a hostage and smash some monsters, and I don't see any hostages."
The vampire looked unimpressed. "Hmph, how droll."
In a burst of speed, the vampire appeared behind the young hero with his maw open wide.
"You'll at least make a decent meal."
*Snap*
Fangs chomped on air as Metal Bat deftly ducked the vampire's attempted bite, much to the vampire's surprise, and in that same breath, swung his weapon at the monster's face.
'Fast' the vampire thought as he narrowly avoided getting his teeth smashed in by leaping away.
"I ain't going to be no one's lunch freak!" The Metal Bat snarled and lunged after the vampire.
"Oh-ho," the vampire's red eyes sparkled with interest as he deftly avoided the hero's swings, practically dancing as he did, "you're a bit better than the other humans I've encountered; however, you lack any semblance of grace."
Metal Bat grunted as he swung into and through the vampire, who seemingly vanished momentarily, shocking the hero.
The words caused Metal Bat to look at his weapon and find the vampire standing on top of it.
"I should expect nothing less from such a lowly species," the vampire finished, and before the hero could react, he delivered a brutal kick to the face that sent the hero flying.
Admittedly, he didn't get far, merely a few dozen feet before the hero halted his momentum.
"Still alive? That kick would have torn the heads of most humans and monsters alike."
Metal Bat now has a small bruise on the side of his face, spat to the side.
"Is that what you were trying to do? Cause I ain't feeling shit."
Once again, the vampire gave a fang-filled grin. "So there is more to you than meets the eye. Very well, allow me to enlighten you, for I am."
The vampire cut himself off as Metal Bat was suddenly upon him, his weapon already halfway swinging towards his face.
"Don't care, get smashed," the hero stated as his weapon came dangerously close to hitting the monster.
Shocked, the vampire managed to avoid his strike as well as the follow-ups.
'He's faster,' the vampire noted, as he dodged the attacks with more difficulty than before.
One particular dodge had him snake around to the hero's back, manifest one of his bat-like wings, and slash it forward like a blade at his blind spot. Whether through instincts or luck, Metal Bat saw through the attack and managed to block it by spinning the bat in a reverse grip. He then leapt back into a shoulder charge that caught the vampire in the chest, and as the monster staggered back, Metal Bat swung his weapon at the open monster.
*Clang*
Only to be met by a second razor wing and the vampire's cocky smirk, "as I was saying."
Undeterred, the hero continued his onslaught, though he was met with heavy resistance in the form of the two bladed wings. All the while, the vampire continued to speak.
"Unlike these fakes in the association, I am a true monster, a direct descendant of a noble line of vampires. The blood coursing through my veins contains extraordinary powers. For example…"
The intense melee that had been happening while the vampire spoke came to an abrupt end when the monster's form suddenly turned into mist, causing Metal Bat to swing his weapon through him.
The S-Class hero's eyes widened, but before he could react, the vampire's form gained tangibility and clawed the hero's face. With a growl, Metal Bat swung at the vampire, only for him to once again miss when the monster went intangible.
*Slash*
Once again, Metal Bat suffered another claw attack on his upper arm and another across his back that caused him to stagger.
'Slippery bastard, the delinquent thought to himself as he leapt away to gain distance.
The vampire made no move to follow and instead contented himself with licking the blood off his claws and savoring the flavor.
"How invigorating!" the monster exclaimed with a delighted grin as his beady red eyes danced. "I will enjoy feasting on your innards, boy."
"You better savor that blood, 'cause you ain't getting another scratch off me again." Metal Bat intoned as he straightened up his posture, popped his neck, and gripped the handle of his weapon tightly.
The vampire laughed mockingly at the hero. "I will admit that you are strong for a human, which is more than I can say for the rest of your life, but that's just all it is."
Once again, his body transformed into mist, and Metal Bat's eyes widened before twirling his weapon one-handed with enough speed that it looked like a propeller and directing it towards the mist. Suddenly, the vampire was hit with a strong, continuous gust of wind that scattered his misty body.
The vampire once again reformed further away.
'That was close; my body was almost dispersed.'
"So it seems you're also a bit clever." The vampire cut himself as he turned his gaze towards the hero, only to find him already within striking range with his weapon mid-swinging towards his head.
With his mind racing in shock, the vampire could only raise his forearms in a hasty block.
*CRACK*
The sound of bones breaking echoed over the cheers and jeers of the other monsters.
"Gah!" the vampire yelled out in pained shock as his arms were snapped with the bones sticking out.
While the vampire crashed in a heap near a few monsters who made jokes at his expense, he only paid minor attention to them as his gaze focused on the hero, who continued his charge for a follow-up. The vampire got to his feet and once again turned to mist, allowing the bat to pass through him. He reformed behind the hero, poised to take a bite, only for the pummel of the bat to slam into his nose with a meaty crunch, breaking it.
"Guh!" As the vampire stumbled back from the blow, disoriented and in pain, a swing to the leg snapped his knee at the side, then a forward thrust caved in his chest, doubling him over, before an overhead swing to the back of the head sent him into the floor, creating a face-shaped hole.
Metal Bat went to swing on his downed enemy again, only for the vampire to once again change into mist.
"Tch, that shit's getting really old."
The vampire reformed near the monster, who incidentally made that one joke, and proceeded to lift it over his head and rip it in half. As blood and innards rained down on him, the vampire opened his mouth to take his fill. Metal Bat noted that even the blood that didn't make it into his mouth soaked into his clothes, which too began to regenerate along with his injuries.
In a matter of seconds, the vampire looked like he hadn't received any injuries at all.
"Feh"
*Crash*
The bat left cracks on the floor, and he turned to glare at the vampire, who glared in turn, though his eyes were more considering.
"You're strong for a human and that weapon," he trailed off while flexing his jaw, but grinned anyway.
One strike had Metal Bat feinting then catching the vampire off guard with a reverse thrust, slamming the butt of his weapon into the vampire's face.
The vampire, upon hearing it, touched the injury and grew infuriated.
"Don't get cocky!"
He was met with heavy resistance as bat met razor wing. The vampire found himself once again taken off guard by the hero's strength as the blow was so heavy that it sent a tremor through the monster. Metal Bat proceeded to block a second-wing attack before grabbing the appendage and pulling the vampire forward. The hero swung down, forcing the vampire to use his hands to block.
*Crack*
"Gah!"
The sound of broken bones echoed as the vampire's arms were summarily broken and he was forced to his knees.
'This human-' the vampire thought in a mixture of pain, bewilderment, and anger.
Metal Bat went in for another swing; however, the vampire once again seemingly teleported away.
"Getting real sick and tired of that vanishing trick."
The vampire paid no heed to his words and instead grabbed the nearest blood sack and drained it to heal himself. The entire time, he kept his eye on the human, who turned towards him with a look that irked the vampire to no end. And combined with the memory of the beating he just received, it served to drive him over the edge.
"You cur! How dare you!"
With that yell, the vampire's body dissolved into a swarm of bats that flew towards the hero.
CRIMSON SWARM!
In response, the delinquent hero clicked his teeth, gripped his bat, and spun.
SAVAGE TORNADO!
The swarm of bats met a wall of spinning bludgeoning strikes that resulted in an almost accurate representation of putting tomatoes in a blender. No matter how hard he tried or from which angle, the vampire could not get a single bat to so much as touch the hero. Even worse, the spinning created a vacuum effect that sucked in the swarm, preventing them from escaping.
The other monsters panicked as the moving tornado sucked in a few unfortunate enough to be close, causing them to give the unnatural disaster a wider berth. Fortunately for the vampire, the few monsters that did get sucked in incidentally acted as meatshields, allowing a few of the bats to escape and dive into the nearest group of monsters in a frenzy of blood and screaming.
Metal Bat stopped his attack just as the vampire reformed himself amongst half a dozen monster corpses, completely drained of blood. The vampire looked absolutely livid as he pinned the hero with his crimson bloodshot eyes.
"You're nothing but an inferior species that has to rely on tools!"
"Well, this 'inferior species' is about to beat your pasty ass." With that, he rolled his shoulder and raised his bat in a mockery of a standard fencing pose. "So come and take your licks."
The vampire's reply was to let out a snarling shriek before charging him, while the hero transitioned his fencing pose to a standard batting one.
"Batter up"
Minutes Later...
The surrounding monsters, whose numbers have visibly dwindled, watched in muted shock, awe, and fear at the spectacle. The cheers and jeers had settled into abject silence, with only the sound of metal hitting flesh, squelching noises, the occasional audible breaking of bones, labored grunts, and screams that turned into groans of pain.
"Phew" Metal Bat straightened up, wiping the sweat from his brow, and let out a harsh breath.
Aside from a thin layer of sweat over his skin, splotches of blood on his clothes, and a few miscellaneous scratches, he didn't even notice the S-Class hero held no new injuries, keeping to his word. His opponent, on the other hand, was in stark contrast; no longer the immaculately dressed pale fiend he started out as, the vampire lay at Metal Bat's feet, a bloody, mangled mess.
There wasn't a single bone that wasn't broken; blood pooled under his body, and even a few bats lay pulped nearby.
"H-how…is this…possible…!?" gargled the twitching half-dead 'true' monster.
Despite the power held by his inherently superior race and the ability to regenerate by draining the other monsters, the vampire was not able to grasp an advantage over the hero. His abilities were either met with equal force, straight up overcome, or negated by the human, and what's even worse, as the fight went on, the gap only seemed to widen further as the human became stronger, faster, and more resilient.
He's never encountered anyone like the young man in all the centuries of his life before he went to sleep.
"Humans weren't…this strong…centuries…ago…"
Metal Bat, for his part, raised his bat like an executioner's blade.
"Welcome to the future."
With that, he ignored the last-minute pleading and smashed open the vampire's skull like a watermelon.
In the silence that ensued, a lone voice chattered unsurely, "Is it over?"
Metal Bat raised his weapon, flicking the gore off, and began walking away, allowing the monsters to get a closer look.
After a moment, one of them said, "He stopped moving; guess he's dead."
With that confirmation, they all gained more confidence as they derided his performance.
"Tch, all that boasting, and he couldn't even beat a single hero."
"So much for his 'noble blood' or whatever."
"True monster my ass!" another sneered as it kicked the vampire's remains.
"Idiot,"
Another louder voice suddenly cut through the jeers: "Hey, where do you think you're going?"
With that, every monster now had their attention turned to Metal Bat, heading towards the door.
"Did you think we were going to give you a break?"
Metal Bat leaned his weapon against the door.
"Sorry to say, but you're going to have to fight all of us now~" another cooed mockingly.
He then proceeded to twist the metal bar around the door handles like a pretzel.
The group of monsters that were slowly encircling him like prey paused in confusion at the action.
"What is he doing?"
After giving the door a few jostles and seeing it not budge, I said, "alright that should do it."
"Idiot, all you've done is trap yourself!"
That got his attention enough to turn towards the group of monsters with gimlet eyes and a thuggish "huuuh? What the hell are you yapping about?"
The monsters collectively flinched as pressure bore down on them.
"I ain't locked in here with you."
Metal Bat grabbed his weapon and turned fully to face them.
"You're all locked in here with me!"
.
.
.
.
*CRASH*
A few minutes later, the steel doors were blown off their hinges, allowing Metal Bat to swagger out, sporting a few more scratches, a few more scrapes, and a lot more blood but otherwise looking no worse for wear. In fact, he seemed to have lost much of the tension in his shoulders as he stretched and rolled them.
"Nothing like smashing some monsters to get the flow," he said, giving another satisfied sigh as his shoulders popped. "Alright, I'm all fired up after that warm-up now! Where to next?"
The young hero then proceeded to sprint down the corridor, his fighting spirit sufficiently burning as he headed for the next challenge.
~To Be Continued~
Author's Notes: This came out longer than I'd meant it to. Spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I'm going to be moving everyone around since a lot of stuff happens here. I've thus decided to ease the burden a bit by only focusing on the non-canononical elements/characters. Assume that everything else that happens off screen happens the same as in the manga unless decided otherwise.
I'd usually do a Patreon plug but there is no advance chapters posted at the moment. Some stuff is going on, discovered Questionable Questing recently and am now working on porting all my stories over there plus a hurricane is going to hit later today and I have no idea how screwed I am.
- Location
- Argentina
Nice to see rhis back.
I don't see this as filler as it was pretty important in its own right and there are some major consequences happening to the Hero Association and the world in the aftermath.
ExploerTM
Ruin has found you at last!
- Location
- Russia, Perm
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
It yet lives muhahahahha!
I see the dominos slowly started falling in the wrong direction, instead of manageable fight against Zombieman Dracula wannabe got pummeled into submission by a Bat.
...
...
Its a bat vs bat joke isnt it?
WHO CARES, I got a new fix, that's all that matters to me!
I see the dominos slowly started falling in the wrong direction, instead of manageable fight against Zombieman Dracula wannabe got pummeled into submission by a Bat.
...
...
Its a bat vs bat joke isnt it?
WHO CARES, I got a new fix, that's all that matters to me!
I'm just glad someone actually commented on it.
I look forward to see how things go differently compared to the One Punch Man canon. It would definitely not be the same anymore for the Heroes Association after what they've been through.